The Finer Things: Alternate Ending
by thyme2read
Summary: Ever wonder what would have happened if Vreenak wasn't killed in that tragic explosion? What if he lived to expose Sisko's plot? This is my take on what would have happened, and an alternate ending to my other story The Finer Things. Title may change later.
1. The Bomb

The small shuttle raced away from Deep Space Nine and back toward Romulus. Inside, Senator Vreenak paced and pondered the best way to inform the Empire about Captain Sisko's plot to embroil them in the Dominion War. As he stopped and glanced toward the lock box that contained the forged data rod, he wondered whether Sisko was acting indepently as he claimed, or if Starfleet had ordered him to take the fall. Either way, Sisko had played a major role and would pay dearly for his actions.

Meanwhile, in a separate part of the shuttle, the engineer and his assistant were making routine checks when they heard a strange sort of fizzling sound and smelled smoke. At the source of the smoke, they discovered an ominous device and immediately notified security. Fearing it was a bomb, security hailed the nearest Romulan vessel, a patrolling Warbird. When the Warbird arrived everyone was beamed aboard. Another Warbird was then ordered to retrieve the shuttle and tow it back to Romulus for examination.

As soon as Vreenak set foot on his homeworld, he marched straight into the Senate Chambers and sternly disclosed everything he knew and suspected. Naturally the Romulans were outraged, and they voted to cut all ties with the Federation.

The Federation promptly denied involvement in the plot, and Captain Sisko tried to assume all responsibility. The Romulans remained unconvinced, but demanded that Sisko be punished nonetheless. As a gesture of restoring good faith, the Federation offered to let the Romulans conduct their own investigation into the matter, and at the same time began the proceedings for Captain Sisko's court martial.

Meanwhile, it was determined that the strange device found on Vreenak's shuttle was a bomb, as they had suspected. It failed to properly detonate, and appeared to be of Dominion or Cardassian origin. The bomb could only have been picked up in one of two places: Soukara or Deep Space Nine. Not wanting to have open hostility with the Dominion yet, the Romulans decided to keep this discovery a secret. While overtly maintaining their non-aggression stance, they would fortify themselves, develop contingency plans and step up intelligence on both the Dominion and Starfleet.

After the attempt on his life, Senator Vreenak became very concerned for Miss Miller's safety. He had selfishly gotten her involved in this situation, and felt that he must ensure her protection. He contacted his Federation plants and discovered that she and her friends had left the station. This was good, but of course she was still in Federation territory. He thought about contacting her to warn her, but that wouldn't do much good. He really wished he could bring her to Romulus where she would be safe.

Yes, Aura must come here, he decided. Once she understood the gravity of the situation she would surely agree that this was the best and safest course of action. She would undoubtedly enjoy her stay here, he thought. Romulus was such a beautifully refined world. He would dispatch his nearest agents to escort her immediately.

* * *

Two days after Vreenak left, Aura and her friends also left Deep Space Nine. She was going straight home to earth, but the others were going to make a stop on the Trill homeworld so Catherine could meet her fiancee's family. The transport vessel zoomed along as the various occupants settled into their quarters. A few hours later, Aura and Catherine decided to head for the lounge and get a snack. When they were done, Aura told Catherine about her secret encounter with Vreenak.

"Wow, I can't believe he was there! And he proposed to you, too!" Catherine whispered with a smile.

"Not exactly," she replied with much less enthusiasm. "He asked if he could be my 'suitor,' but I said no, then he offered me my own home on Romulus so I could get to know him better."

"No wonder you were acting so strangely. How romantic!"

"Humph. I'm not so sure about that. Anyway, I figured I could tell you now. Any day now it should be all over the news."

"So, what did you tell him? Are you going to go?" asked Catherine slyly.

Aura couldn't believe her ears. "What? No! Of course not!" Several curious glances from other passengers reminded her to keep her voice down. "Why would I do that?"

"Because you always wanted to go to Romulus."

"Yes, but Vreenak's creepy as heck! And an arrogant jerk!"

"And he's head over heels for you, obviously. Really, I think you should go. It'll be a great experience, even if you decide to go your separate ways."

"Catherine, are you crazy? What if it's some kind of trap and he won't let me leave? I am NOT going to Romulus. I already composed my reply, and as soon as possible I'm going to send it."


	2. If You Want Something Done Right

"You are to locate this individual, Miss Aura Miller and bring her here to Romulus. You will avoid Federation detection and do whatever is necessary to ensure that she arrives safely. Under no circumstances will she be permitted to remain unguarded in Federation space. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," replied the two Romulan operatives, whose appearances had been altered years ago. One of them looked like a Vulcan and the other like an average human.

"Good. Notify me as soon as you return." Vreenak severed communications and went back to reviewing intelligence reports.

* * *

When she finally got back to Earth, the first thing Aura did was take a nice long nap. After she was rested she went to her kitchen and made herself a sandwich of turkey and Swiss cheese on toast. Then she curled up on the sofa with a historical novel and some hot chocolate. It was so nice to finally be back in her own home. After reading for an hour or so, she set the book down and checked her messages. There was a message from her parents, so she called them back and chatted for a little while. There was also a message from work saying that one of next month's concerts was rescheduled, so she opened up her calendar and noted the change.

"Let's see, the next event is coming up this Thursday. Guess I better start practicing." She took out her violin.

As she played her instrument, one of the operatives crept into her house and set his phaser to stun. When she collapsed he threw her over his shoulder, tapped a button on his wrist and beamed aboard his ship.

* * *

As the ship headed toward Romulus, the two spies began to chat a little. They wondered what Vreenak wanted with the human female, and what their next assignment would be. Then they got hungry and started talking about what to eat. Once they decided, one of the spies (the one who looked like a Vulcan) walked over to the replicator, where he noticed that the female was beginning to regain consciousness.

"Hey, she's coming around. Should we keep her out?" he asked, speaking in Romulan.

"I don't know. Vreenak didn't go into detail. I suppose it doesn't matter as long as she arrives alright."

"Well, I'm hesitant to stun her again, since humans are so weak."

"Just hurry up and put her in the cargo compartment before she comes to. That way we won't have to speak to her."

A few minutes later, Aura woke up in an unfamiliar place with a headache and an extremely sore shoulder. What happened? Where was she? It looked like some sort of storage area. She tried to sit up and discovered that her hands were tied. Through the wall, she could hear muffled voices speaking a foreign language. Fear and anxiety came over her as she realized that she had been kidnapped.

When the thoughtless spies finished their meal, they realized that it would be another day and a half before they arrived, and if the female was conscious she would need to be fed as well. The 'Vulcan' opened the cargo door and was met with a pair of fear-stricken hazel eyes.

"She's fully awake now. What should I say to her?"

"How should I know? Since you don't want to stun her try one of these." The 'human' opened a bag on the dashboard and pulled out a container of pills.

"Are you sure those are the correct dosage?"

"Yes, I checked it before we left. Dissolve it in some barjol and let her drink it. That way she'll have some nourishment before she goes under again."

Aura could not understand what they were saying or see very much from the cabinet, but the "Vulcan" walked away for a moment then returned with some kind of beverage.

"Drink this," he said in Federation standard, but the female did not comply. "Don't worry, it will not harm you."

Aura didn't believe him. They had already harmed her and abducted her. He tried to put the glass to her lips but she turned her face away. "She won't drink it," he relayed in Romulan. The "human" in the pilot chair sighed in annoyance.

"Of course not. I wish Vreenak had given us more detailed instructions. Maybe you should just go ahead and stun her again, but make sure you set it as low as possible."

Aura blinked. Did he say Vreenak?

The "Vulcan" was only too happy to comply with his companion's suggestion. Aura shrank back as he aimed the phaser at her and fired. "Problem solved," he chuckled, and went back to his chair.


	3. Try Better Directions

Senator Vreenak stood up from the desk and stretched. That was enough work for now. He was so tired he couldn't see straight. Due to the recent events he had been spending lot of extra time at Tal Shiar headquarters, but after working for nearly 32 hours he decided to take a break and go home. He hastily delegated a few tasks and was about to leave when he received an important call.

"Senator, we have arrived with Miss Miller."

"Well, that was a lot sooner than I expected," he said, feeling suddenly enlivened. "Good. Escort her to my estate. I'll meet you there."

Vreenak could not repress a smile as the shuttle craft barreled toward his home. She was here. She'd done the sensible thing and flown to his protection. He hoped she wasn't too fatigued from traveling, so they could eat dinner together and converse a little. But even if she was, he would still get to see her almost every day. That lovely little muse. It was only a matter of time before she succumbed to his affection entirely.

The shuttle craft landed at the entrance of the main house. Vreenak composed himself and strode in confidently, accompanied by his two guards. When he reached the parlor the two operatives stood up.

"Well, where is she?" asked the Senator in confusion. The 'vulcan' and 'human' motioned toward one of the sofas, and Vreenak was shocked to see his intended lying there unconscious with her hands bound.

"What the hell have you done to her!" He thundered at the top of his lungs. "You imbeciles! You were supposed to escort her, not kidnap her!"

"But sir, you didn't say that. We were under the impression that-" Vreenak cut him off with a double slap to the face. The 'vulcan' stiffened and suppressed his indignation.

"You will suffer for this," hissed the enraged politician. He walked over to the desk and summoned more armed guards to the room. "Take these two incompetents to the Derro Tilan Center. After they have been disciplined I want them reassigned as prison janitors."

After the offending fools were gone Vreenak rubbed his forehead and pounded the desk in sheer frustration. Just then Aura frowned and stirred a little. Instantly he was at her side.

"Aura, my dear, are you alright?" he asked, brushing her cheek with the back of his hand. She blinked and regarded him dimly, then gasped and scurried back on her elbows.

"You! You did this?"

"No, Aura. I did not do this, it was a tremendous mistake. But I have punished those two brutes, and they will not harm you again." She glared at him suspiciously, then glanced down at her hands, which were still bound.

"Unbind her hands, then leave us," he said over his shoulder. The two remaining guards complied and left. Aura frowned as she rubbed her wrists. When the door closed she slapped Vreenak as hard as she could.

"You had me kidnapped! How dare you!"

"You have every right to be angry, but I was not at fault. They were supposed to escort you willingly and show you every courtesy," he said, rubbing his cheek.

"Oh, so you just assumed that I would say yes? You arrogant jerk! You didn't even wait for my reply!"

"We can discuss this later, after you've regained your composure."

"Or we can discuss this NEVER and you can return me to my home!" she snapped.

"I'm afraid that's quite impossible. It may not seem so right now, but I assure you it is in your best interest to stay here."

"You mean YOUR best interest!" She stood up and pointed at him accusingly.

"No, Aura. It is not safe for you in Federation territory. An attempt was made on my life and I have reason to believe you were in danger as well."

"What?"

"Someone planted a bomb on my shuttle, which was discovered as I returned home. We could not determine where it came from, but it is quite possible that it was acquired on Deep Space Nine."

She paused and thought for a minute. "Ok, so someone's after you. But why would anyone want to kill me? I'm not involved in politics. I'm just a musician."

"I don't know, but I was not about to stand by and risk letting something happen to you when I could do something to prevent it. Now, I am sorry for the shameful treatment that you received, but I assure you I did not intend for things to happen this way."

Aura was still very angry at him and wasn't sure if she believed his explanation, but apparently she wasn't going anywhere any time soon. She clutched at her sore shoulder and wondered what to do next. Vreenak noticed her pained expression.

"Do you require medical attention? What did they do to you?"

She smiled sarcastically. "Oh, nothing. They just broke into my home, stunned me a few times, tied me up and put me in the cabinet. But you know it was all an accident and misunderstanding, so it's ok."

Vreenak clenched his fists a few times. Never mind. He would add to their punishment later. Right now he had to see to his injured lady's comfort.

"Come with me. I'll show you to a guest room and get you something for the pain in your shoulder."

He led her down the hall and up a couple of flights of stairs. If Aura had been paying attention, she would have noticed how luxurious and well-furnished the house was. But right now she was too tired and vexed to observe anything. Finally Vreenak stopped and opened a door.

"This will be your room for tonight. Make yourself comfortable. I will return with the medicine shortly."

Aura walked over to the bed and sat down. This was all so insane. She felt like she'd stepped into an alternate reality or something. Come to think of it, she always felt like that when Vreenak was around. A moment later he returned with a glass of water and a tablet, which she swallowed.

"Would you like anything to eat or drink?"

"Not now, thanks."

"Very well." He went to the doorway and paused for a moment, feeling compelled to say something. "I know you're not happy with this situation at present, but-"

"Please, I don't want to talk right now. Just leave me alone."

"Goodnight, then." She didn't reply, so he closed the door and walked to his own room.


	4. Breakfast At Vreenak's

The next morning Aura's shoulder was much better, and she slept a lot better than she expected considering the previous days' events. Sitting up she looked around at the room. Wow, it was so stoical and ornate. The ceiling and walls looked like intricately carved granite or marble with a lot flowing geometric designs. The furniture certainly looked very expensive and comfortable, there were potted plants scattered about, and charcoal velvet curtains hung around the window. She put her shoes back on and was about to walk over to the window to look out when there was a knock at the door.

"Just a moment!" She went over to one of the mirrors, smoothed out the wrinkles of her dress and combed her hair with her fingers before opening the door.

It was a short, somewhat aged Romulan woman. Her she had the usual Romulan hairstyle, flecked with a few grey hairs. "Good morning, Miss Miller. I trust you slept well," she said primly. "I am D'Tair the housekeeper. Senator Vreenak asked me to introduce myself and inform you that breakfast is ready."

At the mention of food Aura realized how terribly hungry she was. Last time she ate was at her home, and she had no idea how many days ago that was. Then her stomach decided to embarrass her and rumbled loudly. The housekeeper looked at her disapprovingly and said, "This way, please."

The two women walked along the halls and down the two flights of steps. This time Aura curiously observed her surroundings and was taken aback by how refined and luxurious everything was. Every single wall and piece of furniture had some sort carving or other embellishment on it. The fabrics were all brocades and velvets, and were decorated with a lot of metallic embroidery. Everything seemed to be made of stone, glass or metal, but it was perfectly balanced with flowing fabrics, an abundance of indoor plants and natural light. When they reached the first floor, Aura expected to be led to some sort of dining room, but the housekeeper opened a door and ushered her out onto a veranda.

On the patio there was a large glass table and several chairs. It was set with elegant dinnerware, and there was fruit, several glass pitchers, and steaming dishes. The table was covered with an arbor, and the whole thing looked like something you would see at a wedding or a royal brunch rather than a simple daily breakfast.

"Good morning, Aura. I hope you are feeling better today?" It was Vreenak, of course. "How is your shoulder?" he asked with genuine concern.

"It's a lot better, thank you." Aura was trying not to be rude, but she was really anxious to eat. Her stomach growled again and she blushed. Naturally his Romulan ears picked it up, and he grinned at her.

"Shall we eat?" He led her to one of the chairs and sat across from her. Two servants came out of nowhere and served them the food, poured the drinks, and retreated. She put the napkin on her lap, then slowly drank a full glass of water, resisting the urge to just gulp it down. Then she looked at the various items on her plate. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to eat them in some special order, so she watched the Senator for a few moments.

"Is something wrong?" He asked, when he noticed her untouched food and uncomfortable look.

"I've just never eaten Romulan food before, and I'm not sure what to try first."

"Try this first." He pointed toward some slices of a large, green, citrus-looking fruit. She took a small bite, and was pleasantly surprised that it tasted kind of like a pineapple, except milder and sweeter.

"I like it. What's it called?"

"Chamikul. There are several varieties of this fruit, but the others are sour. I knew you would like this."

"Green cha-mi-kul. I'll have to remember that. Is it only served for breakfast?" She thought it would make a really nice dessert with some cake.

"Usually. Try the bread, with some parbin." He pointed to a white spread with decorated with some kind of brown specks in a small bowl near her plate. She figured it must be like butter or cream cheese. Neither it nor the bread had much flavor, but she was hungry so she ate it all. Then she ate some chopped orange vegetables, which kind of tasted like cabbage. They could have used some salt, she thought, but she didn't see any on the table and wasn't about to complain.

"So, what would you like to do today?" Asked Vreenak, taking a sip of some purple juice.

"I didn't know I had any choice in the matter," was her honest but slightly irritated reply.

Vreenak frowned and took on an injured air. "Of course you have a choice. You are not a prisoner. You're free to do whatever you like."

Except leave, she added mentally. She tried the purple drink and it tasted exactly like white grape juice. "What is there to do?"

"Well, first I would like to show you around the main house. Then you can inspect the guest homes and choose one for yourself."

Ok, that sounds reasonable, she thought. She nodded and finished her meal. The servants cleared the table as soon as they left it.

"We'll start inside then go over the grounds." He tried to take her hand, but she evaded by clasping them behind her back.

"Okay, lead the way," said Aura, with a fake smile.

Vreenak was becoming a little miffed at her behavior, but decided to overlook it. It would probably take a week or so for that to wear off. Once she became familiar with Romulus and its perfections she would see things in a different light. In the meantime he would tread carefully and counterattack by being excessively gracious. With renewed confidence, he stepped into the house and began the grand tour.


	5. The Set Up

"And that concludes our tour of the house," the Senator smiled proudly as they walked out onto the courtyard. He had seen the obvious admiration in her face and was now feeling quite content.

Aura did not attempt to hide her appreciation. It certainly was an impressive home and completely Romulan. "Well, I must say, Senator, your home is exceedingly stylish and sophisticated. I have been to many fine homes and concert halls, but I have never seen anything quite like this."

"You have no idea how delighted I am to hear you say that." Vreenak already knew his home was an architectural masterpiece, but seeing it admired by his prospective consort was rewarding. He imagined this scenario many times during the past two years, and now it was taking place. Not quite according to plan, but still progressing, albeit slowly.

They walked through the courtyard, around a large fountain and down a winding path. Knowing what was coming, Vreenak couldn't help but smirk. The house was impressive, but the grounds were breathtaking.

Aura gasped in amazement. There in front of her was what looked like some ancient, fabled garden. The greenery was perfectly accented with stone fountains, arches, trimmed trees and wandering pathways. She suddenly felt like Elizabeth Bennett at Pemberly: _And of all this I might have been mistress. _

But Vreenak was certainly no Mr. Darcy. No. With his shrewdness, lofty attitude, and underhanded methods the pompous Senator was more like Professor Moriarty or Grand Moff Tarkin. At least Mr. Darcy was handsome. Vreenak, not so much. He wasn't downright hideous, but he wasn't exactly good-looking either. She supposed that overall he had a sort of distinguished, dignified look about him, but she found it hard to believe that he genuinely cared for her as much as he claimed to. After all, he had only spoken to her twice at the concert and they talked for less than an hour on Deep Space Nine. That was hardly enough time to develop serious feelings for someone, much less determine if they were spouse-worthy. Then again, he was a politician, and lying was a regular part of his job. Well, apparently she would not be allowed to leave until the Dominion war was over, so that gave her plenty of time to figure him out and decide what to do.

After touring all four of the guest homes, Aura chose the third. It was much smaller (and therefore cozier) than the first two, which were nearly as grand as the main house. Also the color scheme seemed more welcoming to her as well, since it contained a few shades of blue and purple rather than mostly grey like the others. Vreenak was not surprised at her choice, but wished that she had selected one of the homes closer to the main house. Oh well, a little extra walking never killed anyone.

"Very well. This will be your home then. Are you sure everything is arranged to your liking? I can send some servants over to assist you if you want to replace anything."

"No, I wouldn't dream of rearranging anything."

"Are you certain? I can tell by your expression that something is lacking." The brunette hesitated and looked down at the tiles on the floor. "Aura, if there is anything that you require, I wish you would tell me."

"Well…" she said timidly. "It's just…I could use some more clothes…"

Vreenak mentally slapped himself. "Of course! How stupid of me!" Why hadn't he thought of that before? He took a device out of his pocket and began tapping it. "I'll have some delivered for you this afternoon. Uh…what size do you wear?"

"I don't know. Ummmm..." Vreenak stopped typing and looked up at her as she twisted a stray lock of hair. "Do you think maybe we could go shopping?" The hopeful look in her eyes did not escape him.

"Would you like to go shopping?" he asked, unaware what he was setting himself up for. Never ask a human woman, especially one that you're trying to impress, if she wants to go shopping.

Aura smiled mischievously at his innocent question. Oh yeah, it's payback time.


	6. To Market, To Market

The shuttlecraft landed in a parking bay near the capital marketplace, then Senator Vreenak, Aura, and the two guards walked to the first shop. It was a shoe store. The first thing that Aura noticed was that all the shoes were closed: mostly boots and half boots. No sandals, and no high heels. Apparently Romulans didn't care for such impractical styles. The colors were limited to black, dark grey, light grey, and a few other drab shades. There was no white, no brown and definitely no red.

Presently, a salesperson came with a measuring tool and determined what size was needed. On earth she wore a size 7, but here the equivalent was an 18, since the chart included both infants and adults.

She decided to make it snappy in the first store. There weren't many styles to choose from anyway. She selected a pair of medium-height black leather boots, a pair of light grey ankle boots and some dark blue suede slouch boots.

The purchase done, the clerk handed the bags to "Tweedle-Dee" and "Tweedle-Dum." Then the party walked over to the next store. When they got to the women's section, Aura was kind of disappointed. Once again it was mostly the same, dull colors and the fabrics and styles seemed almost identical to those worn by the men. Moreover, many of the clothes had those horrid, square shoulders and those chokingly high collars. She was beginning to feel very conspicuous in her brown sweater dress.

She glanced over at Vreenak, who had a very curious expression on his face, almost like he expected her to be amazed at the superiority of that monotonous display. Well, if he thought she was going be caught dead in one of those boxy grey pantsuits he had another think coming.

After several hours of shopping, Vreenak was beginning to get annoyed. This was taking forever. So far they had been to five stores and the lady hadn't chosen very much. He was learning that she was very selective when it came to garments. He tried to figure out what she was looking for so he could get this over with faster, but she wasn't making much sense. Unbeknownst to him, Aura was keeping a mental score.

"What's wrong with this one?"

"It's grey!"

"But you bought other dresses that were grey."

"Exactly!" she replied, rolling her eyes. The senator had never seen that gesture before today, and raised an eyebrow in response. That was for eavesdropping at the concert, she said mentally.

"How about this one?"

"No, it's not me. I'm not trying to look like your twin." The look on his face was comical. That was for all those snide little quips on the balcony.

"Your reasoning is flawed. Your attire would not alter your appearance to the point that you could be mistaken for a sibling of mine." She actually smiled at that. "What about this one?"

It was a dark green belted dress. "Hmm, maybe. I'll have to try it on."

Aura picked up a few other items and disappeared into the fitting room. Vreenak wondered why she had to try everything. As he stood around waiting tolerantly, he was so bored he almost thought he heard laughter come out of the fitting room. Suddenly, the woman in question emerged.

"What do you think? Does this look right?"

"Gorgeous. Buy it," he said, a little too quickly. He almost sounded aggravated. It did look nice, but he was anxious to get out of there.

"Alright, but I think I need a different size." His response was a sigh.

As Aura turned to go back in the fitting room, the Senator heard her whisper something to herself: "That was for the ice ray." He wasn't sure what that meant, but it sounded vengeful. Why that little! She was doing this on purpose to annoy him! She was craftier than he gave her credit for. Well, he'd be hanged if he'd let her get the best of him.

The Senator whirled around and whispered to the guards. "You two, look around quickly and bring me the most hideous garment you can find." They nodded and proceeded to carry out their assignment with relish. A few minutes later they returned with a faded orange jacket and matching breeches. Perfectly vile.

Presently Aura came back outside, and Vreenak presented the outfit to her. "I think these would suit you perfectly."

Aura wrinkled her nose in disgust. "No, I really don't think so."

"What defect do you find in them?" asked the politician, with feigned innocence.

"It's just, that color…it's so dreadful."

"Perhaps you would like it better if you tried it on. I insist," he said, handing the ghastly outfit to her.

Alright, fine. I'll humor him, she thought. She tried on the garment and hated it. The shoulders were way over padded, making her head look too small. She roughly re-did her hair to be only half up, and that helped a little, but she still hated the breeches. It made the whole thing look kind of choppy, and with the boots it was too military-chic. When she came out of the fitting room Vreenak and the guards gawked. Oh, you gotta be kidding me, she thought.

"Spectacular!" said Vreenak, with an unnerving smile.

"Oh, come on!" She cried. "I look like a box!"

"I don't care what you say, that color suits you and the style is becoming."

Ok, he can buy it if he wants, but that doesn't mean I'll ever wear it, she thought. "Ok, let me just go-"

"No!" The Senator caught her by the wrist. "Stay as you are. You look devastating!"

Aura was about to retort when Vreenak received a call. It was Koval, his superior. They spoke in Romulan. "Jolan true, Chairman."

"Vreenak, I must speak with you in my office immediately," he said evenly, looking more grim than usual.

"I'm on my way. Rutek?" The shorter of the two guards acknowledged. "Stay with Miss Miller until she's finished shopping, then bring her back home."

"Yes sir."

Switching back to Federation standard, he said, "Aura, I must leave you for a little while, but you may continue shopping as long as you like. Rutek will assist you and can translate if necessary."

Vreenak and the taller guard hastily cut a path toward the exit. Suddenly, a funny thought came to Aura and she called out, "See you later, alligator!"

The Senator stopped in the doorway and gave her a quizzical look. That was exactly the response she was going for. Laughing heartily, she waved him away. "I'll explain later. Bye!"

Rutek watched gloomily as the others left him to carry all the bags and suffer in solitude.


	7. Political Fog

Senator Vreenak walked briskly past several monuments and administrative buildings on his way to Tal Shiar headquarters. There was no question in his mind what Koval wanted to talk to him about. It was not a common thing for a high-ranking Senator to be seen around town in the company of a human. He had anticipated something like this to come up sooner or later, and he was prepared to deal with the consequences. He just hoped his superior wouldn't roast him too much.

He and Koval had a very unusual affiliation. As vice-chairman of the Tal Shiar, he was Koval's subordinate. But since Vreenak was also a Senator, the political power brought him up to about the same level of authority, if not greater.

Strolling into the daunting structure that served as his second home, he made his way to the Chairman's office. Koval had his customary scowl in place and did not even look up from the stack of documents on his desk when Vreenak came in the room.

"Sit down, Senator. We have a lot to discuss this afternoon," he said as the doors closed.

Vreenak assumed the seat directly across from the Chairman and made himself comfortable. "Where shall we begin?"

Koval slowly looked up from the report he was reading and gave Vreenak a shrewd glare. "Perhaps you'd like to tell me why you've been gallivanting across town with this human female." He tossed the PADD-like device in Vreenak's direction, and on the screen was a picture of the two of them walking in the market. "Or why you found it necessary to recall two operatives in order to bring her here?"

Vreenak smiled wryly. The only thing he loved more than a good political mess was successfully talking his way out of it. But he considered Koval a friend, for the most part. "I won't insult you by relating the cover story I constructed for the general populace."

Koval stood up and began to walk slowly around the room with his hands clasped behind him. "No. That is hardly necessary. After reviewing all of your activities in the matter I'd say the reason is quite obvious. I must say I'm surprised at you, Vreenak. How could you have allowed a mere human to impress you so? She is attractive, I will allow, but I would have thought you more likely to pursue a superior woman, like my sister D'Loran or your fellow Senator Cretak."

"Kimara Cretak could never be more than a colleague to me, and your sister is brilliant, but you know very well she is more concerned with her military career than anything else. As for Aura Miller, I will not allow you to imply that my chosen one is only good for window dressing. She has many other admirable qualities besides physical beauty."

Koval scoffed. "Oh really, such as?"

"Vivacity, charm, consideration for others, a creative imagination, musical talent. Her sense of humor is a bit childish, perhaps, but amusing nonetheless. More importantly, she is exceptionally honest and has never lied to me despite the fact that I have drawn her into several awkward situations. What more could I wish for in a spouse?"

Koval sighed and went back to his chair. "I suppose it is too late for me to be giving you this advice, but I consider you my friend, Vreenak. Humans are very different from us. Their devotion is not permanent like ours. Remember Tasha Yar and all the anguish she caused her family? Perhaps it would be wiser to make a personal sacrifice now and admire your object from a distance, rather than take the risk of letting such a union ruin your career and your lives."

"I thank you for your concern, my friend, but I have already made my decision, and my situation is in no way comparable to General Radek and Yar's. From what I understand, their arrangement failed because of selfishness and coercion on one hand and hatred on the other."

"Perhaps so." Chairman Koval walked over to the counter and poured a glass of kali-fal for himself and his friend. "Well, Senator, you know this will be very unpopular once word gets around in the political arena. You better have a good explanation ready if you want to keep your seat."

Vreenak took a thoughtful sip of the crystal blue liquor. "Hmm. In this case, I believe only a little exaggeration is in order. Nothing is so convincing as a great deal of truth mixed with a little embellishment."

And he was right.

* * *

Meanwhile, Aura continued on her shopping adventure. Since the Senator was no longer there to be annoyed she was able to make better progress and found several items that were up to her fashion standards. She tried to discard the orange suit, but Rutek picked it up and purchased it anyway, not wanting to risk going against Vreenak's orders.

After she found everything she needed, they piled all of the boxes and bags into the shuttlecraft and headed back to the estate.

Vreenak remained at Tal Shiar headquarters for a few hours after his talk with Koval. He really didn't want to go back to the store and had a few tasks to get done anyway, like checking on the status of Captain Sisko's court martial. It seemed that process would take months, since the Captain had a lot of influential friends and an otherwise untarnished record.

In addition, the results of the Romulan investigation on Deep Space Nine were beginning to support Sisko's claim that he was not acting under Starfleet's orders in the data rod incident. But there were still many unanswered questions on critical points in that matter, such as who acquired the data rod for Sisko and where the bomb came from.

Little did the Romulans know that they would search for these answers for years, but neither the extent of the mysterious culprit's involvement nor his whereabouts would ever be discovered.

* * *

Author's note: It has been a really long time since I watched DS9, so I made a small mistake in the previous story and described Vreenak as "head of the Tal Shiar." It turns out that Koval was the Chairman, while Vreenak was only Vice-Chairman. Not really a big deal, just wanted to clarify that. It was a lot of fun writing this chapter, by the way. Thanks for reading!


	8. Home Again, Home Again Jiggety Jog

On the way home, Vreenak thought back to Aura's parting words. "See you later, alikader," she said, and laughed. What did she mean by that? Was she making fun of him, or trying to get his attention? He supposed he would have a better idea if he knew what an alikader was. Taking the handheld device out of his pocket, he tried to look it up but couldn't find anything. Maybe he was spelling it wrong.

"Computer, define human word 'alikader.'"

_Result: An __**alligator**__ is a large crocodilian reptile found in tropical rivers and marshes and is characterized by its broad snout._

Vreenak almost dropped the device when he saw the picture of the green, scaly creature, with its mouth cracked into a mocking smile. With an irritated sigh, he tossed the device onto the seat beside him and crossed his arms. She was making fun of him, there was no question about it.

* * *

That evening, Aura had just finished sorting and putting things in the closet when she heard a beeping sound. Walking into the living room, she pressed a blinking button next to a screen mounted on the wall.

It was D'Tair, the housekeeper she met this morning, looking very sour. Aura wondered if she always looked like that, or if she reserved that expression for her. "Miss Miller, if you care to join the Senator for dinner, it will be served in forty minutes."

"I'll be there shortly. Thank you," was her courteous reply.

The housekeeper narrowed her eyes. "You don't have to thank me. I am only doing as I was charged."

The screen abruptly went black. "Well, excuse me for living!" Aura made up her mind to thank her as often as possible.

She set out for the main house. It took about ten minutes of brisk walking to get there, but she didn't mind since the landscape was so beautiful. It also gave her the opportunity to witness her first Romulan sunset.

As soon as she reached the doorstep a servant opened the door and escorted her to the parlor. There she saw her host sitting on one of the sofas with a deep scowl on his face, but he stood up when she came in the room.

"Good evening, Senator," she began.

"So. You're here," he said evenly. She'd never heard him use that tone before. Maybe he had a bad day at the office or something.

She went over to the sofa across from him and sat down. Vreenak resumed his seat and his scowl. There was a long pause.

"Is there something wrong?" she ventured finally.

Vreenak was about to say something, but stopped and gave her a searching look. "Why did you call me that?"

"Call you what? Senator? Isn't that your title?"

"You know what I mean. Do I look that much like a reptile to you?" he grumbled.

"What? Reptile?" Then she remembered. "Oh! No, you've got it all wrong! I wasn't calling you an alligator, that's just something we humans say."

"Why?" asked Vreenak, looking somewhat relieved but not quite convinced.

"Because it rhymes with later," Aura shrugged. "It's just for fun, really. One person says, 'see you later, alligator,' and the other replies, 'after while, crocodile.' I knew you'd never heard it before but I didn't think you'd take it that way."

"Oh," he said, thoughtfully. So she wasn't mocking him then, it was just a silly human custom.

"Sorry," she apologized shyly. She'd have to be more careful with her banter in the future, but she had to admit it was kind of fun to puzzle him. Maybe because he was usually so smug.

"Well, since you meant no harm, I will forgive you," said Vreenak, resuming his usual manner.

Oh really? Maybe you shouldn't have jumped to conclusions, she thought. Whatever, at least that was cleared up. Time to change the subject. "So, what's for dinner?"

"You will see soon enough. I don't usually trouble to order anything specific. It's more efficient to let the servants determine what should be cooked."

"Cooked? You don't use replicators?" She asked, a little surprised.

"Yes, but mostly on ships. When we are at home, we prefer to have our food prepared the old fashioned way."

Interesting, she thought. She liked to do a little cooking herself now and then. Too bad she didn't have any recipes with her.

Meanwhile the senator walked over to the desk, picked up a tablet device and took a seat next to her. "Would you like to choose the music for this evening?"

"We're going to listen while we eat?" she asked, and he nodded. "Then unless you have earth music, I think you'd better choose."

"Almost anything can be pulled from our planetary database or subspace," he said, handing the tablet to her. "Computer, display results in Federation standard." The computer chimed and made the adjustment.

How nice, she thought, brightening a little. Music was such a big part of her life. She already missed her violin, even though she'd only been on Romulus for a day or so. The fact that it was unavailable and would be for some time is what made her miss it more than not having played it. But being able to hear her favorites made the situation that much more bearable. "Alright then. Let's see…tonight we'll listen to Pachbel's Canon, one of Chopin's Nocturnes and Beethoven's Pathetique. All very quiet and peaceful."

* * *

Dear Readers: Tribal Graces has posted a really nice picture of **_Vreenak and _****_Aura_** on the Deviant Art website. I absolutely love it! I wasn't able to put a direct link here for some reason, but it'll come right up if you do a search. Check it out!


	9. A Deck of Trump Cards

The next day, Vreenak prepared to go to the Hall of State. The Romulan Senate worked on a very unusual timetable, and usually the delegates were summoned at dawn by a message from the Vice-proconsul. But being heavily involved in the recent investigations, Vreenak had been absent from the Senate for a few days.

As he shrugged on the dark blue Senatorial robes and placed the imperial medallion around his neck, he thought about what would likely occur today. By now, his fellow Senators were all certainly aware that he had a Terran staying with him, and would expect him to give an explanation.

While it was not a crime to bring off-worlders to Romulus, it was heavily frowned upon. Since they were also in the middle of a cold war with both the Dominion and Federation, it must necessarily throw him into an unfavorable light. If they realized his true intentions in regard to Miss Miller, they could cite him for a conflict of interests and demand his resignation. If worse came to worst, they could deport her back to Federation space and exile him along with her.

He should have been worried with so much at stake, but on the contrary he felt quite confident. This was his arena, and this kind of drama and verbal sparring was what he lived for. Indeed, he had a full deck of trump cards that he could play if the situation deteriorated enough. He had his predecessor to thank for that.

Romulan Senators were always chosen from among the wealthiest and most respected families. When one retired another member of the same family was usually chosen to replace him or her. Vreenak had been specially educated for the position and eventually inherited it from his grandfather. He chuckled when he remembered the old man's advice to him when he retired fourteen years ago.

_"Once you get your foot in the door, the first thing you need to do is dig up as much dirt as you can on all of your colleagues, because believe me, one day you're going to need it."_

His grandfather had even gone so far as to hand down some of the info he already had, then said Vreenak would have to find the rest on his own.

There were a total of forty-four senators, which were led by Praetor Neral, Proconsul Telak, and Vice-proconsul Relam. Each had an area of expertise, such as science, health, agriculture, education, etc. But those that represented intergalactic dealings such as trade, the military, intelligence, expansion and exploration, ranked a little higher than the others, and Vreenak belonged to this group.

When he entered the Hall of State, it was apparent that the rest of the delegates had convened some time before his arrival. In addition, Koval had been summoned and was sitting near the Praetor. Several of those present were arguing, but when they noticed him, they all quieted down and resumed their seats. That is, all except for one of his long time opponents, Senator Melok.

"Well, well. Look who decided to grace us with his presence. Jolan tru, Vreenak. We're a little surprised to see you here. After spending so much time at Tal Shiar we were beginning to think you had abandoned your seat."

"Ah, wishful thinking, Melok. But you all know that my attention was required at Tal Shiar due to the recent events as a matter of imperial security."

"Yes, imperial security. Thank you, Vreenak. You've brought us directly to the point." said Proconsul Telak. "Would you care to explain this?" He pointed toward a holographic version of the image Vreenak saw in Koval's office the previous day. "How does this relate to imperial security?"

"Quite simply, it does not." Before he could continue the chamber echoed with scoffs and grumbling.

"Who is this individual and how does she relate to you?" the Proconsul demanded.

"Her name is Aura Miller, and she is an acquaintance of mine."

"An acquaintance? How is that possible? Up until recently you have hardly ever left Romulus!" laughed Senator Letant.

"We met two years ago, at the Interstellar Law Charter. Ambassador Decius can vouch for that, I was attending at his behest. There were concerts held in the evening, and the lady was a musician. The two of us merely had a few polite conversations about Earth music."

"Then why is she staying at your estate?" asked Senator Tal'aura skeptically.

Vreenak then began a lengthy narrative in which he portrayed Aura as an unfortunate victim of circumstance who fled the Federation in fear of her life and was seeking refuge from an old acquaintance. This wasn't very far from the truth, since he conveniently left out the part about the kidnapping. But by the time he finished his account, he could tell that his strongest opponents were not buying it.

"She hardly looks like a refugee to me. In fact, judging by your expression in these images I would almost say that you were courting her," said Letant with a broad smirk.

Just then Senator Cretak stood up. "Honestly, doesn't this assembly have more important things to discuss than Vreenak's personal affairs? Last time I checked, it was not a crime to marry an off-worlder."

"No, but it is a conflict of interest!" barked Senator Tal'aura. "And the Vice-chairman of the Tal-Shiar is too important a position to be compromised. I move that Vreenak be banned from public office and his little Terran deported. If he likes her so much, he can leave with her!" This motion was met with several shouts of approval.

Vreenak assumed an injured air, then stood up and took the medallion from around his neck. "Very well. I hoped it wouldn't come to this, but you all leave me no choice." He placed the medallion on his chair, along with the senatorial robe. Then he moved closer to the holograph in the center of the room and continued. "Yes, I confess. I am courting this woman. I intended to take full advantage of her dependence on me and do everything in my power to coax her into matrimony."

Praetor Neral, who had been silent up to this point, spoke up. "So it's true, and you are resigning, Vreenak? I am sorry to hear that. You had always been a very capable public servant."

Vreenak bowed his head. "I hoped that perhaps we could put aside our differences and focus on serving the Empire, but my colleagues are right. It is better to admit the truth and move on. In fact, I feel so much better now that I've gotten that off my conscience. I strongly urge all of you to follow my example. Senator Melok, would you like to begin? Why don't you tell us about what really happened in that little skirmish near Calder II?"

All eyes turned toward Melok, and the color drained out of his face. Another aged Senator stood up and said, "Pray, continue Vreenak. What happened at Calder II?"

"Oh that's right, your granddaughter was killed there, wasn't she? How very tragic. I'm so sorry to remind you of your loss. But for some reason I couldn't find any evidence of the rogue Klingons that Melok's son mentioned in his report." The elder man gasped and glared at his former crony. Vreenak continued. "And what about you, N'Var? Are you still selling old medical equipment to the Ferengi?"

Vreenak continued to bring up one scandal after another until there were very few faces left that were not tinged green in embarrassment. When Praetor Neral recovered recovered from his astonishment he decided to intervene, fearing his turn would be next. Not that the Praetor could remember doing anything reproachable, but he didn't want to take any chances.

"You've said quite enough, Vreenak. And I must say, I am both shocked and appalled to learn of all this…this corruption. If these were more peaceful times, I would not hesitate to remove you all. But we are on the brink of war, Senators, and a scandal of this magnitude is not good for the Empire. Here is what I propose. Vreenak will not resign. Nor will anyone else. We will all turn over a new page and work together as though this conversation never took place. Agreed?"

There was silence for a few moments, then one by one they all nodded and mumbled their assent.

"Yes, as Cretak said. If Vreenak wants to marry an alien what business is it of ours?" chuckled an aged Senator anxiously.

"Yes, hardly a crime," added another.

Chairman Koval retrieved Vreenak's senatorial garb and handed it back to him. "I quite agree. In fact, let me be the first to congratulate you." Several others immediately echoed the sentiment.

"Why thank you, my friend. I will never forget this gesture," Vreenak said, and meant it.

"Now," said the Praetor. "Let us all renew our oaths of office and never speak of this matter again."

All present in the chamber stood, placed a clenched fist over their chests and recited their oaths in unison.


	10. Reflections

That same morning, Aura prepared to walk to the house for breakfast, totally unaware that her host was being vilified for her sake. She reflected on the previous evening as she coiled her hair into a simple twist. Much to her surprise, she actually enjoyed to talking to Vreenak over dinner. They had to sort out a few differences in terminology, but the Senator had a better than average understanding of music, enough to know what she was talking about and make relevant comments.

After listening to her choices, he said that Pachbel's Canon was "simple, but remarkably elegant." He was not impressed with the Nocturne, though he agreed that it was "tranquil." Not surprisingly, he liked Beethoven's Pathetique best of the three. Somehow she knew he would. There was just something about Beethoven's piano sonatas that was spellbinding. The Senator had described it as "contemplative" and "mystifying," and she could not agree more.

After dinner they continued their conversation in the parlor for an hour or two, then Vreenak walked her back to her doorstep. Once there, she bid him goodnight, and he replied in Romulan:

_Faedheu, arh'lyretha. Veisaan tohr cunaemn, akden arhem hruuhi hw'kaevra. Akden t'lhoi annha, ecimae t'lhoi hrhae jolan tru u'simhoni aeiiht._

Aura knew what he was up to. He was trying to impress her and wanted her to ask what it meant. Alright, she'd play along this time. "And what does that mean?"

Vreenak smirked mischievously. "Now Aura, if I wanted you to know would I have said it in Romulan?"

"Then why bother to say it at all?"

"I'll never tell. If you want to know, you'll have to learn to speak our language." He knew she was very curious and would probably like figuring it out for herself.

Aura shook her head and smiled grudgingly. He certainly was sharp, she thought as her boots crunched against the pebbly pathway toward the house. She expected him to recite some kind of poetry or explain that it was an elaborate way of saying goodnight. Instead, he gave her a little mystery to solve. But maybe it was a good idea to learn the Romulan language, since she was going to be here for a while. It's not like she had much else to do, anyway. Besides, they had decided that they would alternate listening to Earth and Romulan music in the evenings, and it would be nice to understand any lyrics herself instead of just reading the translations. She would begin her lessons right after breakfast.

When she reached the house, Aura was surprised to learn that the Senator was not there, and she would be dining alone. This didn't really bother her; she was used to living alone. Over the years she had learned that it was more rewarding to spend time with a few loyal friends and family rather than to waste time with a large, fickle acquaintance. The only people she truly missed were her parents and her friend Catherine. She made a mental note to check with Vreenak about contacting them later on.

As she ate her meal, she noticed that the servants were much less congenial toward her when her host was absent. They were not outright rude, but they were less attentive and their expressions were mildly hostile. She decided to ignore their behavior for the present.

Late that afternoon, when she grew tired of practicing Romulan pronunciation with the computer, she went outside for a break and a stroll around the garden. The landscape was so lovely that she wished more than once that she could paint it. Maybe there were computer lessons for that, too. For a while she stopped to admire a stone sculpture of a hawk landing on a branch. Hawks and other types of birds were a predominant theme on Romulus, being a symbol of the Empire.

Just then she saw the shuttlecraft fly overhead, and debated whether or not to head toward the main house. She decided it would be nicer to go over now instead of only showing up when there was food, as though that were the only reason she came. She met Vreenak at the door, and after handing the robes to a servant he joined her outside.

"So, what have you been up to today?" he asked, electing not to tell her about what happened at the Senate today. While a Romulan woman would have been flattered by his efforts, Aura was nothing like a Romulan woman. Knowing that he almost lost everything for her might overwhelm her and undo all the progress he had made so far. She would not be able to fall for him if she was constantly worrying about being a burden. Besides, he could always brag to her about it later when they were married.

"Practicing Romulan Lesson I, of course," she said, with a rascally smile.

"Well, good luck with _that_," he offered, matching her expression. If he were a human she would have smacked his arm. But since he wasn't she just kept walking. A moment later he spoke again. "Tell me, how do you like Romulus so far?"

"I like it very much," she replied, then added to herself, "I just wish I were here under happier circumstances."

"It all depends on how you look at it, Aura. Most beings would consider it a blessing to be here rather than a predicament."

It was true. Most people only dreamed of living in such a beautiful place, with servants at their beck and call and anything else they wished for merely a breath away. And since the Romulan Empire was not involved in the war yet she was probably a lot safer here. "I know, it's just… I didn't ask to be here and I do miss a few things. I was thinking about my friends and family this morning, and I wanted to ask you if it's alright to contact them."

"I'm surprised you felt it necessary to ask. I've told you many times that you may do whatever you like."

"Then, would you mind very much if I left to speak with them now?" she asked, beginning to feel very animated.

"Of course not," said Vreenak. "It has been nearly six days since you left Earth, and surely they will have noticed your absence by now." He knew that she was their only child, and it was their custom to speak fairly often.

"Thanks. I'll see you at dinner then," she called, already tripping away. With so much to tell, her excitement was building with every step, and as soon as Vreenak was out of sight she practically ran to her door. She'd talk to her parents first and let them know she was alright. Then she'd call her friend and chatter to her heart's content.

* * *

I didn't provide the translation of what Vreenak said yet because I haven't decided whether I like the meaning or not. We will find out what it means eventually. If you want an idea there's a Rihannsu dictionary online. For those of you who are fluent in Rihannsu I apologize, because I'm sure I got it wrong. The syntax is kind of complicated and not many examples are given. I gave up when it got to the subject/verb order.


	11. Confidential

Before she contacted her parents, Aura decided it would be better not to tell them everything. It would only alarm them. Her father especially would react badly to knowing that his daughter had been abducted by a Romulan with amorous designs. When they answered her call their concern was obvious.

"Hi Mom, hi Dad!" she said, trying her best to sound completely normal.

_"Oh, it's you dear! Thank goodness, we've been so worried about you!" _cried her mother. _"We tried to call you a few times, and then you never called back, and none of your little friends at work knew where you were, either, and they said you hadn't been showing up for practice and-"_

_"Child, what in the blazes are you doing on Romulus?"_ her father demanded, as though she were still a teenager, and one who'd stayed out past curfew at that.

"Well," she began. "It looks like I'm going to be living here for a while." Naturally they didn't like that answer and bombarded her with more questions.

"Mom, Dad, calm down. Please!" begged Aura. "Listen, I really can't explain it all right now. It's a really complicated situation, but I called to let you know that I'm safe and there's nothing to worry about."

Meanwhile, Vreenak strolled at a leisurely pace over to his study. After acquiring a glass of kali-fal, he grabbed a remote and shamelessly tapped into Aura's conversation. He had absolutely no qualms about listening in on her personal call and even routed it onto the big screen. He was a Romulan after all, and it was in his nature to be invasive. Of course he was aware that Aura would be angry if she knew he were "eavesdropping" as she called it, but it was his estate and he had the right to do whatever he wanted.

She was talking to her parents. They seemed rather upset and were trying to find out why their daughter was on Romulus. Aura in turn appeared to be distressed by their concerns and was trying to pacify them.

"Let's see, what were 'mom' and 'dad's' names again?" he asked himself, taking a sip of his drink. He had looked them up once or twice but didn't bother to commit the details to memory. "Oh yes! I remember now." Picking up the tablet device, he brought up their profiles. "Robert, biomedical engineer, 62, and Belinda, urban planner, 57," he recalled with a smile. It was strange to think that these two characters would someday be his in-laws, and he was almost 10 years older than they were.

_"Where are you staying, at the embassy?" _asked her father.

_ "When are you coming home?"_ asked her mother.

_"Mom, I already told you, I won't be able to come back until the war is over. But I'll be alright, really! I'm in one of the safest places there is, and you can call me whenever you want."_

Since they weren't discussing anything important, Vreenak stopped paying close attention after the first few minutes and started reading the headlines on the tablet. But he did keep an ear tuned to the conversation and noticed several interesting things. Surprisingly, Aura kept quite a bit of significant information from her parents. She did not tell them how she got there, nor plead with them to find a way to retrieve her. In fact they seemed to have no knowledge about him whatsoever. Overall this was an encouraging development. Perhaps he was a little further along than he thought.

After an hour of fretful chatter, much reassurance, and a promise to talk again soon, Mr. and Mrs. Miller reluctantly allowed their daughter to end the call. On Aura's end, she breathed a sigh of relief, then called her friend's house to start the real gossip. She smiled and tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for her friend to answer.

_"Aura! Where have you been?" _exclaimed Catherine. _"I've been trying to call you for days! Girl, I've got tons of stuff I've been dying to tell you!"_

_"And I've been dying to hear it! I've got tons of stuff to tell you, too. Ooooooh, you'll never guess what happened!"_

Her friend took a quick glance at the message origin, then her eyes went wide and she covered her mouth. _"Oh wow!"_ she cried. _"You did it! You eloped with that Vreenak guy!"_

Naturally that got the Romulan's attention. "This should be rich," he said, sitting back and putting his feet on the desk.

Aura's jaw fell open in stunned silence. It took her a full 15 seconds to recover from that one. _"Eloped? Oh my gosh, Cat! NOOOOO! As if. You know I wouldn't do something like that."_

Catherine crossed her arms and gave her friend a scolding look. _"Don't tell me you refused that poor man again."_

Vreenak chuckled and took another sip of his drink. "That's right, 'Cat'. Talk some sense into your little friend."

_"Yeah well, just wait 'till you hear what the 'poor man' has been up to,"_ said Aura, in a tone that implied he had done something quite shocking. The account that followed did not disappoint.

Once again, Vreenak was surprised by Aura's behavior. While she concealed almost the entire situation from her parents, she told everything without reserve to her friend, sparing no detail. They went over the entire series of events from start to finish, then went back to certain points to analyze them.

_"So he said it was a misunderstanding. Hmm, what do you think? Do you believe him?"_

Aura sighed. _"Well, he seemed like he was telling the truth, but I don't know. He might just be a good liar, you know?"_

"You'll learn to trust me, my dear. Just give it a little time and you'll see that I've always been candid with you," said Vreenak.

_"It's hard to say, especially since I never got a good look at the guy. Is he cute?"_ asked Catherine slyly.

The Romulan was in the middle of a sip and nearly choked.

_"Cute? Ha! Do a search and see for yourself," _Aura replied in a saucy manner. That didn't sound very promising. The Senator shifted to the edge of his seat.

_"Hmm. No, he's not cute. Definitely Romulan though. Hold on, let me see this other picture... Well, I don't know…" _

_"He looks kind of harsh, but he's not too bad,"_ said Aura thoughtfully.

"Harsh? Is that what you think of me?" asked Vreenak, who was now offended.

_"Yeah, I wouldn't call him handsome, but he's not mirror-cracking hideous either. At least he's…tall. How old did you say he was?"_

"Preposterous!" hissed Vreenak. He was so flabbergasted he couldn't decide whether to be indignant or glad that they were making the best of the situation.

_"71. 42 years older than me."_

_"Well, he is a Romulan, though, and in their estimation he's only a little older than us,"_ her friend pointed out.

_"That's exactly what he said! Are you sure you're not on his side?"_ asked Aura in mock suspicion.

_"Well somebody has to be on his side, 'cause if you don't stop playing hard to get you'll never find anyone. Look, I know it's fun to be chased, but if you don't let him catch up sometimes he'll get discouraged and give up like the others."_

"Smart girl, Catherine. Keep talking," said the Senator, leaning back again and placing a hand on his chin.

_"I'm not playing hard to get! I'm just being reasonable! And I never wanted to be chased by Vreenak or anyone else. Most of those guys were bumbling jerks, and the ones that weren't gave up way too easily. Ugh! Men! Anyway, enough about me. Tell me what happened on Trill."_

Over the next hour, Catherine related a bunch of gossip about her future Trill in-laws, which they picked apart from every aspect. Since they were no longer talking about him, Vreenak went back to reading the headlines. At 6:30, the women started to wrap up their conversation.

_"I'm going to have to call you back later, Cat. It's almost time to walk over for dinner."_

_"Ok, then. Be sure to bring some candles and turn down the lights,"_ suggested Catherine playfully.

_"Yeah, maybe he'll look more handsome that way,"_ joked Aura. They both laughed and Vreenak scoffed. He was seriously starting to regret listening in on this conversation. It had been nothing short of irritating and discouraging.

_"You better hope he's not listening or you'll be in big trouble,"_ warned her friend.

_"Well if he is, he should know by now that 'listeners hear no good of themselves.' But I doubt that. He's probably picking out the Romulan music for tonight." _

Blast, he'd forgotten about that. Grabbing the tablet he hastily made a few selections.

_"Seriously, though. I feel sorry for the guy. You gotta admit he's gone through a lot of trouble for you. Don't you like him even a tiny bit?"_

Vreenak froze and waited for the answer. It was so quiet he could hear his heart beating, or was that hers?

Aura hesitated. _"He's a scoundrel," _she said finally.

_"You know you can't fool me. You do like him, don't you?"_ her friend persisted.

_"Well…maybe a little."_ Vreenak dropped the tablet as Aura smiled timidly and twisted a lock of hair. _"You know I like those pointy ears, and it was kind of cute how he got all upset about the alligator thing."_ She crossed her arms and giggled as she did her best to imitate his scowl and voice_. "Do I look that much like a reptile to you?"_

They both broke into a fit of laughter. "What nonsense!" said Vreenak, but this time it was fondly.

_"So are you going to give him a chance?"_

_"I guess so. He has been pretty nice to me since I got here. I mean, if it were his goal to take advantage of me he could have done that already. Instead he's been almost a perfect gentleman. But I'm still not sure if I can trust him. Why would a Romulan politician, with all this power and wealth, go after someone like me? Why not a Romulan woman? And he's so arrogant, it makes me wonder if he thinks I'd be like one of those stupid women that tag along with rich guys."_

_"Why don't you ask him about it after dinner?"_ suggested Catherine.

_"I think I will,"_ she resolved.

The Senator stood up and walked over to the screen, staring at her determined expression appreciatively. "Yes come, my jewel. Bring your questions. It's about time we continued that discussion. I look forward to clearing up those misgivings, and unlike those other fools that abandoned you, I am not one to despair so easily."


	12. Heart to Heart

Aura had mixed feelings now that she had talked it all out with her friend. The conversation had lifted her spirits, but it also brought to her attention that there were several points in regard to her host that needed clarification. It was likely to be a very tense and awkward discussion, so she would wait until after dinner to bring it up.

As they ate, Aura remained fairly silent. She was supposed to be listening to the Romulan music, but there were other things on her mind. First, she needed to know what Vreenak's intentions were. Clearly he still expected to attain some degree of romantic involvement, because even if her life truly was in danger (which she still had serious doubts about), it was highly unlikely that he would have simply brought her here out of the kindness of his heart.

What sort of relationship was he trying for, and how deeply was he involved emotionally? On the station she had gotten the impression he was going for marriage, but now she wasn't so sure. She had always heard that Romulans considered themselves a superior race, and now she had experienced a little of their snobbery first hand. First with the concert, then Vreenak himself, and now the servants. If it was so bad that he could not even applaud another race's performance at a diplomatic function without appearing unpatriotic, why would he suddenly turn around and go to the other extreme of seeking to marry one? It didn't make sense.

Her biggest fear was that he viewed her as some sort of easily-duped toy, to be kept around for amusement. That would explain why he was pursuing her instead of a Romulan woman. Still, he had been very kind and generous toward her these last few days, so she would give him a chance to explain everything.

Vreenak had a general idea what the lady was thinking about, but resolved to wait and let her bring it up on her own. It was better not to speak right now anyway, since he was still a little ruffled from what he overheard. Harsh. Arrogant. Humph. Silly girl. He'd get back at her for that later. Oh well. At least her friend got her to admit that she likes him. Of course he already suspected, but to actually hear it was rewarding, and just the encouragement he needed. He'd have to send Catherine a wedding gift. A nice, expensive wedding gift.

Since Aura was lost in thought he took the opportunity to admire her countenance. Her fine hair, those arched brows, and those long lashes that made little shadows on her cheeks…

She glanced up at him and blushed at his intense look. He loved it when she did that. That bright red color gathering in her face reminded him of glowing embers fanned by a gentle breeze.

"You are very quiet this evening," he ventured as they walked to the sitting room. "I hope your relations weren't too distressed by your absence?"

She took her usual seat. "They do tend to fret over me, but they'll be alright," she said reflectively.

Vreenak likewise took his usual seat across from her. There was a pause. She glanced at him again, then started to trace the pattern on the cushion beside her. "Vreenak?"

His heart skipped a beat. That was the first time she addressed him directly by his name instead of his title. "Yes?"

"I was just thinking. It's really strange that you should know so much about me, and after all that's happened I still know almost nothing about you. I mean, obviously you're wealthy and influential being a Senator and all, but I don't know anything about you personally."

"What would you like to know?" he asked.

"Well, what did you mean, back on the station, when you said you were…fond of me?" The room suddenly became very tense.

"I should think that meaning was quite obvious," he answered hesitantly.

"Well, I want to be sure. Did you mean that you just sort of like me or-"

"No." Since he interrupted, she waited for him to continue, but he didn't.

"…You love me?" she asked.

Vreenak lowered his gaze and thought carefully about how to reply. He knew she would likely not believe him if he said yes. But the answer _was_ yes. He did love her. After that little scuffle at the concert he became curious. Then when he heard that intoxicated oaf accuse her of wishing for a "pointy-eared prince" to "whisk her away" he was intrigued. When he established her intel file and took time to update it he told himself that it was just for diversion. He didn't even realize that he was past the point of no return until he saw her again on Deep Space Nine. She was just as lovely as ever and still had that open-hearted look. The same look she was giving him now. "Would you believe me if I said yes?"

"I don't know," she answered quietly.

"Hmm. That's a little better, I suppose," he said gloomily. "Last time we talked about this you questioned my sanity."

"I'm sorry, but I need to know where you're trying to go with this."

"You wish me to declare my intentions. Very well," he said, coming over to sit next to her. He took the hand that was closest to him, and after a deep breath he spoke in a low, measured tone. "My intention is to establish courtship. Whether you believe it or not, I am deeply attached to you, Aura." He paused to punctuate the statement with a sincere look. "I formally request that you accept me as your suitor."

Aura retracted her hand and held it up defensively. "Just a moment!" She composed herself, then said more calmly, "Before I answer that, I need some more information. If I said yes, would that make us dating or engaged?"

"I wasn't aware that there was a difference in those terms."

"If I said yes, would I be expected to marry you?" she clarified.

"It's… understood, of course. In due time, if all goes well…"

"But if it doesn't, I could still change my mind and say no?" He nodded in response. Would she just answer the question already? The suspense was killing him!

She folded her lips and looked down again. "I'm thinking about it," she said evenly. "What makes you think that, as you said on the station…that we're compatible?"

The politician sighed and tilted his head thoughtfully. "Where shall I begin?" He had to be careful not reveal anything he overheard. He thought back to her reasons for rejecting him the first time: she said he was creepy, he kept embarrassing her, and was too old for her. He wasn't sure what she meant by creepy, and making her blush was one of his favorite activities, so he said, "I suppose I'll start with our ages, since I recall that being one of your primary objections."

She looked up at him and he continued. "You are 29, I am 71. That is a difference of 42 years, but quite honestly you would soon be very unhappy if I were your age, since you would decline at a much faster rate than I would. And I would have the misfortune to outlive you by several decades. But, as it is now, we are fairly synchronized.

"Now, character. You have a very simple mind," Aura's eyes flashed, so he quickly added, "Before you get angry, I don't mean that you are lacking in intelligence. Rather, you always mean what you say and interact with others in a very straightforward manner. That is a rare thing, and very different from our way of thinking. You have no idea how many levels of deception I must sift through in the course of a day. In the Senate, and Tal Shiar especially, everywhere there are hidden agendas and ulterior motives. No one is precisely who he claims to be. And while I do find some measure of enjoyment in my line of work, to come home to the same environment would be nothing short of exhausting. That is one of the reasons why Romulan women have never appealed to me. As you can imagine, most would seek an alliance with a man of my stature as a means to increase their own power and prestige.

But _your_ only ambitions are to enjoy the beautiful things in life, and to be loved. You have an artistic soul, and I have an appreciation for finery. As you know, there is nothing more enjoyable than to share what you love with some one who appreciates it. And if that person happens to be a beautiful young lady, who is quite talented herself, then it's only natural that I should be drawn to you romantically. Now what do you say? Do you accept?"

As he spoke, Aura found herself falling into a daze of sorts. His eyes were so intent, and the very same shade of blue as that drink he was so fond of. It always unnerved her when he focused on her like that. But his voice, it was so different from the rest of him. It was so deep and soothing when he spoke that way. She was so fixed by it that she didn't even notice that he had taken her hand again. But she snapped back to reality when she realized he was no longer speaking, but waiting for an answer.

"I think…" she began weakly. She saw his eyebrows go up. Then she noticed that sometime during the conversation he had placed her hand over his heart, which was pounding. He was nervous. How cute! Brightening a little, she said, "Alright. I'm willing to give this a try, but I don't consider myself engaged. I don't know what you Romulans call it, but as far as I'm concerned we're just dating. We can be friendly and spend time together, but you're going to have to be patient. No talk about getting married yet, alright?"

He kissed her hand to seal the deal. "Agreed." Finally!


	13. Getting To Know You

Now that he and the woman he loved were finally established in a budding relationship, Vreenak breathed a sigh of relief. Since he was less tense, and no longer staring so keenly, Aura also felt more at ease. In fact, now that all the awkwardness was out of the way, and she had caught a small glimpse of vulnerability on his side, she actually felt surprisingly playful.

I guess that makes him my boyfriend, she thought, then frowned. It just didn't sound right. There's got to be a better word for it… Hmmm. She lifted an eyebrow and tried to repress a smile as she thought of his likely reaction to other ridiculously unfitting labels, like sweetie-pie or baby. It might be funny, but she decided it would be best to keep it to herself.

Vreenak had seen that look once or twice before, most notably during the shopping incident, so he knew she was about to start some kind of mild mischief. But this was a good sign, since she only did that when she was feeling comfortable.

"You find something amusing, my lady?" he asked, examining her small hand curiously. Her expression changed to one of surprise. "You don't mind if I call you that, do you?"

It actually sounded pretty nice, and the fact that he was still speaking in that deep, sultry tone didn't hurt either. But she resolved to keep her wits about her. "Not at all. I'm just wondering what I should call you. Any suggestions, Senator?"

"Yes. Now that we are on closer terms, you may use my first name, if you like," he replied, subtly putting his arm on the back of the sofa behind her.

"Wait, you use my first name all the time, so how come this is the first time I ever heard that you even have one?" asked Aura. She noticed the arm, and after she gave him a warning look he graciously removed it.

"I call you by your first name because you are human and it is your custom, but on Romulus first names are considered much more informal. Generally only blood relatives and close friends use them. From most others it would be considered somewhat insulting. There are a few exceptions, of course, but I won't bore you by explaining them now."

"Alright then, what is it?"

He leaned over and whispered it to her.

"Merken?" she asked, to make sure she heard him right. He nodded once in reply. "Mer-ken…" she repeated slowly, looking him over as though trying to decide if it suited him or not. Shaking her head, she said, "No. I don't think I could ever call you anything but Senator Vreenak."

He pursed his lips in annoyance, then decided to let it go for now. "Let's talk about something else."

"Yes. Why don't you tell me about your family or something? Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"I have a younger brother, who is a Commander in the Imperial Fleet, and a sister, who is a scientist."

"Hmm. Lucky you. I'm an only child. But you already knew that, didn't you?" she asked slyly. "What about your mother and father? What are they like?"

"My parents are…no longer living," he said evenly, lowering his gaze. "They were killed many years ago by a random spatial anomaly."

"Oh that's horrible! I'm sorry, Vreenak. I didn't know…"

"Which is precisely why you need not apologize. 54 years ago, my father was appointed governor of the Minotia system, and my mother went with him to serve as his assistant. My siblings and I remained on Romulus to receive a proper education. Since I was being trained for a senatorial position, I stayed here on the estate with my grandfather while my brother and sister stayed with my Aunt's family near the Arcos Segment. A few years later, our parents were traveling back for an annual visit when a gravitron ellipse occurred and destroyed their ship."

"How sad," was all she could say. "I can't imagine how you must have felt."

"The worst part was that it was such a meaningless death." A small wave of melancholy came over his features for an instant as the painful memories surfaced, but not wanting to appear weak he suppressed them. "My sister took it hardest, I believe. She was only eight at the time, and very fragile emotionally. But we all kept an eye on her over the years, and I believe she turned out quite well overall."

"Are there any pictures of you all that we could look at?"

* * *

"This was taken just before they left Romulus the first time." It was a very large family portrait, including several generations. "This is my father, Tovanek, and my mother, Sorael."

Vreenak certainly resembled his father, and both his parents had blue eyes. His mother wore a very proud expression and had long, black hair that was arranged away from her face. "This is my brother Romar, my sister Tertia, and myself."

Aura smiled when she saw the younger version of the senator, looking quite tall, thin, and somber. His brother was not fully grown, but he was more filled out and had the look of a regular trouble maker. In contrast, their baby sister was a darling little elf and the only person in the entire picture who was smiling. "How old were you three then?"

"Seventeen, nine and three."

"Do you ever visit each other?"

"I speak with them occasionally, but I have too many responsibilities to travel much. My brother has his own family to look after, but my sister will usually spend a few days here when she's on leave. You'll probably meet her later this year."

"That's nice. I'd like that. Oh! Is this you?" Aura picked up a portrait of what looked like a 20 or 30-something Vreenak in one of those purple Romulan uniforms. He actually looked kind of handsome in that photo. "I didn't know you were in the military," she said with a coquettish, sidelong glance.

"Eh, yes. We are all required to do at least five years of military service. I served in the Tal Shiar branch, of course, and still do in another capacity."

As he put the picture back on the table, he decided it would probably be a good idea to escort her back now. It was getting late, and he had several important tasks to accomplish over the next few days. She was also giving him mixed signals, so it would be wise to do some further research into human social customs and get a better idea of what was expected of him at this point.

* * *

It was a rather chilly night, so when Vreenak placed her arm on his own Aura did not protest. They were dating now, so she figured she had to allow him some privileges. Aside from a few comments about the change in the weather she was fairly silent. But Vreenak was in a provoking mood, and decided to give her a little test.

"Do you mind if I ask you a diplomatic question?"

"You may ask, but quite honestly I don't think I'd be much help on that subject," she warned.

"Oh I assure you, my lady, in this case your opinion would be invaluable. Now tell me, do you consider me handsome?"

She stopped walking and gave him an accusing look. "How is that a diplomatic question?"

"The question itself is not, but the answer must be," he replied with a wicked smile. He wanted to see if she would admit her true opinion, downplay it, or take the easy way out and lie to him.

"I am not going to answer that," she declared shrewishly, crossing her arms.

The Romulan chuckled. "Very well then. You leave me to conclude that you find me unattractive, and you refuse to answer because you fear that saying so will offend me."

"No, I refuse to answer because it's a trick question, and either way your reaction would be insufferable," she corrected him tartly.

He seemed to be impressed by that answer. "Indeed." They continued walking. "So you would say that I am arrogant, then?"

"Well, you _are_ a Romulan, aren't you?" she asked, with another sidelong glance. Zing!

"Oh, so arrogance is characteristic of all Romulans?" The politician in him was clearly enjoying this conversation. "Well then, since you've decided it's an inherent trait, I hope you won't hold it against me."

She couldn't help but smile at his impudence. She had to admit that this was kind of fun.

When they reached her doorstep he took a moment to observe her again. She was shivering slightly, and the wind had blown a few strands of silky hair into her face. He brushed them aside and looked her straight in the eyes.

"_Arhem simhoni shad aeu t'lhoi hrhae jolan tru u'flaeon aeiiht."_

There was no retreat. He was only a step away and the door was still closed behind her. She held her breath in fear that he might try to kiss her. She'd never allowed anyone to try before and wasn't about to let him be the first. It was still too early. Part of her wished she were invisible, another part wanted to slap him for his audacity, and another part actually hoped he would try it, though she would definitely slap him afterward. But he didn't. After what felt like a slice of eternity, he seemed to reach some sort of conclusion, then smirked and backed off a little.

"I'll see you in a few days," he said.

"A few days?" she repeated, her irritation melting away in surprise.

"Yes. For the next three or four days I expect my time to be divided between the Senate and Tal Shiar. Besides matters of state, there are intelligence issues that I must look into, and a meeting with the War Plans Council. "

"Oh. I understand." Was there a note of disappointment in her voice? She opened the door and stepped in halfway. Assuming an air of indifference, she said "I guess that'll give me some more time to figure out what you've been saying then. Goodnight, Senator."

She turned to walk away, but he caught her wrist and drew her back toward him again. "Is that all you're going to say to me?" He sounded as though he had been wronged.

"What am I supposed to say?"

"You won't miss me?"

"That remains to be seen."

"For a human, you can be quite cruel at times, Aura." That seemed to strike a chord.

"I don't mean to be…" she said quietly, feeling guilty all of a sudden.

"I know," he sighed. "Goodnight, my lady."

As soon as she was safe behind the door, Aura took a deep breath and collapsed against it. "Whew! Be still my heart! That man is something else entirely! If I'm not careful he'll turn my head completely!"

* * *

Author's Note: I did not make up Vreenak's first name, I found it on Memory Beta (non-canon Trek reference). It seems to me that Romulans have two given names, and they generally go by the second. Sorry about the late update, but this chapter was really trying. It was difficult to come up with a believable background for Vreenak, since it's hard to picture him as anything other than a sarcastic old politician who's an authority on Romulan Ale and forged data rods. ;) But he had to come from somewhere, so I hope it wasn't too OOC. There's also a turning point coming up, so I have to plan around that.


	14. Nocturne

Later that night, Vreenak took a few moments to look up human courtship practices. According to the Imperial Encyclopedia:

_In keeping with the Terrans' intrinsic irresolution and weakness of character, human courtship practices vary greatly. These variations stem from both regional and cultural traditions as well as individual preferences. However, there are rudimentary conventions that are still frequently observed by the majority of Terrans. _

He skipped ahead a little.

_The dating phase consists mainly of becoming acquainted with one another's values and visiting places that are considered special. Occasionally, gifts are exchanged (most commonly flowers, sweets, or jewelry) and are even expected on certain days of the year. The duration of the dating phase varies considerably, and can last anywhere from a few days to several decades, until the couple either abandons the relationship or decides to move on to the next step: engagement._

Several DECADES? This would most certainly not do. We'll just have to make sure things stay on the shorter side of that range, he thought, and kept reading.

_Engagement is nearly identical to dating, the only significant difference being that the couple has voiced an agreement to marry at some point. This agreement is commonly represented by placing a ring on the female's left hand. The average duration of the engagement phase is about two years, but once again, there is no standard timetable and the relationship can be dissolved at any point._

Ridiculous! And two years? He'd already waited two blasted years just to get this far! He skimmed over the next few paragraphs until he read something even more appalling:

_Although Terran marriage vows give the pretension of permanence, divorce is permitted, fairly common, and sometimes sought for the most trivial reasons. _

Weak, fickle, inconstant humans. Always leaving themselves a way out. His general opinion of them and their values reached a new low.

_However, there are some humans who adhere to the belief that marriage lasts "until death do us part," and can only be broken by the death of a spouse._

That was good to know, because there was no way in heck he'd let her get a divorce. Romulan law wouldn't permit it anyway. But then again, there would be no reason for her to want one, would there? She'd have everything she could ever wish for: a luxurious home, wealth, a prestigious family and title, and a devoted husband, who happens to be one of the top 100 most influential men in the galaxy, he thought with a smile.

Still, the results of his search left him irked. Several decades? How apathetic. How could humans endure such nonsense? One thing was clear: if he continued to let Aura dictate the pace they might never get anywhere. As a Romulan he would not stand for that sort of irresolution. He'd allow her a little more time to adjust, but if she didn't show any significant signs of attachment soon he'd have to be more assertive.

Beep, beep, beep. It was the communication system. She was talking to her friend again. "Well, this should be most interesting…"

_"__Oh, I'm sorry Catherine! Did I wake you up?"_

_"__Uh-huh. It's 2:30 in the morning,"_ groaned Catherine, rubbing her eyes.

_"__Ugh! How stupid of me! It's only 10 here, and I totally forgot about the time difference. I'm sorry Cat. Go back to sleep."_ Aura reached to switch off the screen.

_"__No, no, no! I'm awake now! Tell me what happened!"_

_"__Are you sure?"_ she asked, still feeling guilty and thoughtless.

_"__Yeah, you know I won't be able to sleep until you tell me all about it. What happened?"_

Aura smiled mischievously. _"I've got a new beau."_ Vreenak and Catherine both mirrored her expression.

_"__Now I wonder who that could be. Is he tall, dark and hands- uh, Romulan?"_ asked Catherine.

_"__Mmm-hmm,"_ Aura replied, batting her eyelashes. Her friend squealed in delight and they both laughed.

_"__Hold on a second."_ Catherine disappeared for a moment, then reappeared with a box of tissues and a mug of hot chocolate, complete with marshmallows. _"Now, start at the beginning."_

Once again Aura confided the situation to her friend, ignoring the fact that her conversation might be monitored. In the back of her mind she suspected, but she preferred to think that the Senator wouldn't stoop so low, or at least not in her case, and was probably too busy to listen in on their chatter anyway. Besides, she just had to talk to some one.

Little did she know that he had the communication system set up to record her conversations so he could review them at will. In his opinion it was a little ridiculous the way the two earth women prattled on, but the insight it provided him had proven to be instrumental.

_"…__He said so many sweet things, and he was so nervous, it was adorable," _said Aura, clasping her hands together and smiling sweetly. _"And his little green heart was just pounding away, so I just couldn't say no!..."_

So, he'd gone from being harsh and unattractive to sweet and adorable in only a few hours. How ironic.

The women continued talking. After a while Aura said, _"I never thought I'd say this, but I'm actually kind of excited about this."_

_"__Of course you are!"_

_"__Okay, so maybe he's not the dashing young hero from all the fairy tales,"_ she admitted, _"but he's certainly the most intelligent man I've ever dated."_

"Hmph. Naturally," said the man in question.

_"__Oh and he's such a smooth talker!" _She rolled her eyes. "_I'm telling you, his voice is just… mesmerizing. I can't believe I never noticed it before."_

_"__Did he try to kiss you?"_

Her expression darkened. _"No, and he better not. I'm not kissing anyone until I'm sure he's Mr. Right,"_ she declared, turning her nose up prudishly.

Vreenak smiled. "Oh, we'll see about that." She was such an attractive little prude.

She told her friend about the conversation outside. _"…He actually said all that, the scoundrel. He thinks he's so charming. And how could I miss him if he hasn't even left yet?" _She spoke severely, but grudging admiration was written all over her face.

_"__Well, you know what they say, 'absence makes the heart grow fonder,'"_ said Catherine.

* * *

Long after the women had gone to sleep, Senator Vreenak continued to ponder over all the information he had gathered this evening.

He had known from the start that she was heavily affected by her surroundings. Atmosphere always has a strong effect on people with artistic inclinations. That was why he had suggested listening to music; even the most subtle of details could tip the scale in his favor.

But this evening, she had unwittingly given him the keys to winning her heart: sympathy, compliments, and a heavy dose of persistence.

Yes, it was her sympathy that kept her from totally rejecting him on the station, and this evening as well. "He was so nervous, I just couldn't say no," she said. Likewise, when he told her about his parents her demeanor softened, and again when he reproached her for being cruel. He didn't much like being the object of pity, but he supposed he could endure it if it helped him to reach his goal more quickly.

She confessed a weakness for his voice and manner of speaking. An excellent development, since this was one of his strong points. He knew better than anyone the benefits of a little well-placed, sincere flattery.

It was no surprise to him that Aura admired his intelligence. Being raised in the heart of the Federation, it must be refreshing for her to converse with a superior being after being surrounded by such mediocrity. She herself complained of her previous suitors' stupidity and inconstancy, and that was why she was so guarded: she was testing him. She wanted to be sure she could rely on him before she allowed herself to become attached, so the master key was persistence.

So, absence makes the heart grow fonder, say the humans. How very true. He was not looking forward to being separated from his lady, but perhaps these next few days would serve to make her more appreciative of his attentions...

* * *

Next chapter we get back to the WAR!


	15. Translations and Deliberations

The next morning was quite chilly and breezy, so when Aura returned from another dull breakfast seasoned with sneers from the servants, she looked around in her own kitchen. If it was stocked, or at least had a replicator, she wouldn't have to walk over there for their mutual annoyance when Vreenak wasn't home.

She walked into the kitchen and found the cooking area, utensils, pots, pans, cups and bowls. Now where was all the food? On one side of the kitchen there were two very large cabinet doors. That must be the pantry, she thought. But when she opened them, it turned out to be the fridge and freezer, which were empty. Hmmm. There was another set of double doors on the opposite side, so she checked it out.

Bingo! A huge walk-in pantry, and the shelves were filled with all sorts of non-perishable items. She also found a replicator in there, but from what the Senator told her a couple days ago she imagined the Romulans probably only used it in a pinch or for disposing of rubbish. No matter. Cooking the old fashioned way would be fun and keep her mind off her absent beau. Not that she missed him, he'd only been gone for a few hours.

She looked over the various items on the shelf. It was so orderly and inviting! It was practically asking her to cook something, but first she'd have to figure out what everything was.

Since she just ate, she decided to start Romulan Lesson II, then come back and translate some of the labels for practice.

_Lesson II: Personal Pronouns. I – arhem. We – mnean. You – hwi. He – dii. She – rii. It – aei. They – lloan. . . _

It wasn't long before she finished the second lesson, and the third. True, she was just beginning, but she had a knack for languages. She learned Italian in grade school picked up a little of the other Romance languages through her musical career. But those were all similar and comparatively easy. Romulan was totally alien, with an entirely different alphabet and syntax. It was going to take a lot more practice, but she'd show him. She'd figure it all out on her own. It's not like she had much else to do anyway.

Then she got an idea. She could only remember the first few syllables from what he said last night, but it was a start. "Computer, translate: Ar-im-sim-on-ay."

_Exact match not found. Closest result: Arhem simhoni – I wait (for), I am waiting (for), I look forward (to)._

Aha! The first piece of the puzzle. She couldn't remember the rest, but maybe if she asked the computer to translate some likely words they'd sound familiar. What else would a Romulan say to the woman he loves? "Computer, translate love."_ Love – (n) heis'he, (v) –jol._

"I love you." _Jol-ao au._ No, he didn't say that. "My love." _E'lev._

_"_Darling." _A'rhea. _ "My heart." _Arh'caevra._ "Your heart." _Hw'caevra._ Hmmm. She wasn't sure. What else?

"Beautiful." _Ouye. _ "Dream." _Isha._ "Stars." _Saeihr._ "Moonlight." _Ih'fvuras liorae._ "Sleep well." _Ehhai saithaes._ She tried several more words, but none of them sounded familiar….

"Goodnight." _Jolan tru (more closely translates as 'good day')._ Yes, she was sure she'd heard that a few times before. So he was probably saying something like, "I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. Goodnight," with a few flourishes.

Ding! She got another idea: she'd hide the tablet in her pocket and have it record what he said next time. She did her best imitation of an evil laugh and said, "Just you wait, Merken Vreenak. You may be a lot older and wiser, but I'm much brighter than you think I am." Gosh, that sounded sneaky. Maybe she was picking up more than just the language.

Later that afternoon, she caught herself repeatedly glancing out the window toward the main house. She sighed. "I guess I'm just bored." She decided to put on some music. After setting up a play list she went back to the pantry and started deciphering the food labels, which proved to be rather fun.

She started with several jars of what looked like jam. There was a green one, an orange one, and a dark blue one. The blue one's label said _Olso Lheit Aitia_ (olso fruit preserves). Oh good! It was jam afterall! She opened it and took a small taste. Whoa, it was strong. Tarter than a lemon. It seemed everything blue had a strong flavor, like that drink, cauliflower or whatever he called it. There was a whole shelf full of it across from her. "_Kali-fal_, that was it!"

A few hours later she decided to take a break from deciphering and go outside, bringing the tablet with her since it was still playing. She strolled down the paths at a leisurely pace, humming along with her favorite tunes and enjoying the scenery. When _The Blue Danube _came on her walk turned into a waltz, until she remembered that was the piece she had played at the concert, the first time she noticed him watching her… There she was, thinking about him again.

"Well, I _am_ living on his property, so of course everything will remind me of him," she reasoned.

After dinner that evening, she gave the housekeeper a list of items that she wanted for her refrigerator. D'Tair gave her the customary sour look and asked why she wanted them. "Because I want to try some recipes."

The housekeeper eyed her suspiciously. "Were the meals not to your liking?"

"Oh no! They were perfectly delicious. I just like to do a little cooking now and then and it's been a little chilly outside lately, so when your master's gone I'd rather stay in and cook for myself. Hey, why don't you all take a few days off or something?"

Everyone dropped what they were doing and stared at her as though she'd grown a second head. But they sure as heck didn't argue, and after "Vreenak's woman" left they mused about her peculiar behavior for the rest of the night.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Hall of State, Praetor Neral and the Romulan Senators were once again debating whether or not they should get involved in the war. Today's discussion was prompted by a report that the Federation alliance had lost yet another system: Benzar.

As the day wore on and every possible argument had been explored, it all boiled down to one thing: the bomb. It was an act of war, but who was responsible for it?

"The device appeared to be of Dominion origin," said Senator N'Var. "Isn't it most probable that someone on Soukara had planted it?"

"Yes, but we all know better than to rely on appearances alone," said Tal'aura.

"Is it possible that Captain Sisko was responsible?" ventured an aged senator.

"Yes. After all, he did somehow manage to obtain a genuine Cardassian data rod, and a Dominion-style explosive device would be far less difficult to come by," said Letant. Several others nodded in agreement.

"No," said Vreenak. "Sisko may be a liar, and a terrible one at that, but he doesn't have the guts to pull something that sinister. I studied the Captain very carefully when I was there. It was a struggle for him just to present the forgery, and that was only after he exhausted every other legitimate argument."

"I might also add that our investigators have found no evidence related to the bomb on Deep Space Nine," said Chairman Koval, who was also present. "As much as I dislike the Federation, the facts in this case would seem to rule them out."

"But why would the Dominion want Vreenak dead?" asked Tal'aura. "He's been their strongest proponent up until recently."

"And why bother with a non-agression treaty just to turn around and provoke us into attacking?" asked Pro Counsel Telak.

"They've already shown little respect for our borders," said Cretak. "They cut through our territory on a regular basis. It is a very real possibility that the Dominion will turn on us after they've conquered everyone else."

"I must admit that I too have become rather disenchanted with the Dominion since the bombing incident," said Vreenak, "but I would not go so far as to support an alliance with the Federation at this point."

"One thing is clear," said Letant. "More than one power is trying to pull us into the war, which is precisely why we should not get involved – yet." The majority of the Senate agreed and voted accordingly.

"Very well," said Praetor Neral. "Until we have more definitive proof, we will remain neutral. But Senator Cretak makes a good point: the Dominion's habit of cutting through Romulan territory shows contempt for our sovereignty, and will no longer be tolerated. Senator Vreenak, you will advise Weyoun of this decision immediately."

* * *

"Senator Vreenak!" said the ever cheerful Weyoun with his signature smile. "I didn't expect to hear from you so soon."

Or ever again, thought Vreenak, hiding his revulsion behind a smirk of his own.

"How are you doing?" asked the Vorta leader.

"Surviving," he ventured. If Weyoun understood the implication in that answer he didn't show it.

"Yes, the demands of state can be quite taxing, at times, can't they?" said Weyoun, shaking his head in a show of sympathy.

"Weyoun, the Senate has asked me to inform you that it has noticed the Dominion's frequent incursions through our territory and will no longer look kindly upon them."

Weyoun blinked and hesitated. "My dear Senator, I thought we had an agreement… Are you saying that our governments are no longer on friendly terms?"

"I'm saying that our friendship now depends on your respect for our borders, and any further shortcuts will be considered an intrusion and an affront. Do we understand one another?"

Weyoun narrowed his eyes, perceptibly annoyed by what he'd just heard. "Clearly."

"Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I must get back to other 'demands of state.'"

* * *

A reader and I were chatting about character theme songs the other day, and I decided that Senator Vreenak's theme is Every Breath You Take by the Police. We about died laughing later on when we realized that this song has a lot of lyrics that rhyme with "fake".


	16. Of Course You Realize This Means War

By noon the next day the Romulan Empire was at war. Two incidents provoked them into it. First, several Dominion warships either didn't get the memo about staying out of Romulan space or they didn't care. Regardless, the Romulans destroyed them. At nearly the same time, a squadron of Jem'Hadar attack ships attempted to capture Deep Space Nine. They were repelled, but not before several members of the Romulan investigative team (which was just preparing to return home) were killed in the process. The Dominion would later claim to have been unaware of their presence, but these incidents were just the excuses the Romulans were waiting for.

At the very same instant the Declaration was sent, a countless number of Romulan ships decloaked and attacked 17 bases along the Cardassian border, so Weyoun received the declaration and reports of being attacked at the same time. There was no time to prepare for the attack, and the Dominion suffered the first of several heavy losses at the hands of the Romulans.

* * *

Meanwhile, the day passed much like the one before for Aura, except that she was beginning to get annoyed with herself and everything else. A certain person kept finding his way into her thoughts, and she just couldn't make up her mind about him.

It was becoming increasingly difficult to concentrate on anything. She was halfway through a language lesson when she gave up and stomped her foot in an aggravated manner. "Oh so what? He's my beau and I'll think about him as much as I want to," she decided. Then she felt a lot better.

Senator Vreenak. Such a character! Sharp, rich, powerful, haughty, and gallant. He was just like a villain from some gothic novel. Her better judgment warned her that this whole dating situation was a bad idea that could only end in tears. But she liked him—quite a lot. True, he was an impertinent old son of a gun, but she imagined that as far as Romulans go he was quite gentlemanly. She had to admire his persistence, and in spite of herself she appreciated his satirical wit. And he was so suave and calculating! It was both scary and flattering to be sought after by a man like that.

But then again, she had to be reasonable and think ahead. If she did happen to fall for him, what would life be like if she married him? Would he be a good husband? Would she be accepted into Romulan society? What about any children they might have? Would they be rejected or bullied for their human blood? These were very serious concerns. Then there was her own family. She was sure they would never approve. The only way they'd ever accept the situation was if it were beyond their control. She felt bad for keeping them in the dark, but it was better for them not to know until she reached her final decision.

Later that morning they called her. They appeared to be even more anxious than usual, so she asked, "Mom, is something wrong? You seem kind of worried."

Her mother said, _"Oh, we're alright, sweetie. It's just the war."_

"What's happening?"

_"Things are not looking good for our side," _said her father_." The Dominion's taken Betazed and Benzar, and it doesn't look like the Federation's got enough resources to stop them. I've heard rumors that Starfleet is stretched pretty thinly, and they might go so far as to issue a draft."_

When Aura spoke to Catherine later that day, she said the same thing.

_"Yes, they are getting ready to issue a draft. It won't go over well, but they really have no other choice." _Her friend hesitated before saying, _"I have something else I need to tell you. Gozen and I have decided not to wait until the war's over. We're going to get married in two weeks, when he comes back to Trill."_

"Oh is that all? You made it sound like bad news!" said Aura.

_"Do you think you'd be able to come?"_ asked her friend hopefully.

"You know I want to, and I'll definitely try, but don't worry about me! I completely understand, and I'm so happy for you…" She and Catherine were like sisters, and they had been planning their weddings since they were 12. Aura really, really wanted to go, but she had a strong, disheartening suspicion that the Senator wouldn't allow it. But it wouldn't do to be selfish and ruin it for her friend as well, so she hid her disappointment until the conversation was over.

Then it hit her how dire the situation was. This was the first time the war had affected her personally, and up until now she'd been optimistic. Like many others, she'd trusted that her loved ones were safe on Earth and that the good side would win in the end. But Betazed was not some frontier planet on the edge of the map, it was fairly deep into Federation space, and things must be seriously desperate if Starfleet was going to resort to a draft.

She felt anxious-and useless. Even if she had been in Federation space she wouldn't have been any kind of help. It's not like she could fiddle the Jem'Hadar to death. And now she was probably going to miss her best friend's wedding, too.

There was really only one thing she could do about both situations: talk to Vreenak. He undoubtedly knew exactly how things stood, and though he was no fan of the Federation, she could still put a bug in his ear. Attending the wedding was also a long shot, but she had to at least ask him.

Now she really wanted to see him, but he wouldn't be back until tomorrow or the day after.

* * *

As soon as the Federation got word of the Romulan Empire's attacks, Starfleet Command contacted them and implored them to join the Alliance. After considerable deliberation, the Romulans voted to join—on one condition: Starfleet must expedite Captain Sisko's court martial. The Federation complied.

* * *

The next day it rained in the morning, but Aura felt a lot brighter because she had something special planned. On Romulus there were some root vegetables that looked like yellow turnips, but their taste and texture was just like carrots. She was going to make a sort of carrot cake and surprise her beau when he came home.

It would flatter his ego terribly, but she wanted to do it anyway. It would be fun to astonish him, and it might make him more receptive to what she had to say. And if he didn't come home tonight she'd just save it for the next day.

But Senator Vreenak did not come home that night, or the next night. Aura began to feel quite jittery, and even went so far as to retrieve that military photo from the gallery and place it in her living room. She took a good look at it and sighed. "Alright, I miss you, you old rascal. Does that make you happy now?"

* * *

Two days later, she was taking her usual afternoon stroll in the gardens when she saw a shuttlecraft. She was so excited that she nearly bolted toward the house, but then she stopped and realized that such a thing would be quite unseemly. It would be better to adjust her appearance a little first, then she'd comport herself in a more dignified manner instead of behaving like a silly teenager. Afterall, she didn't want to look too eager. She laughed and chided herself as she brushed and restyled her hair. If the Senator could read her thoughts right now he'd be quite flattered and insufferably pompous.

She calmly made her way over to the house and into the hallway. There she was in for a shock. Senator Vreenak was there—with his arms around another woman! Aura gasped and her heart instantly welled up with jealousy and anger. She nearly tripped over her own feet in surprise.

Then they noticed her and they both smiled. "Ah! There you are," said Vreenak. "I'd like you to meet my sister, Tertia."

His sister! Well, he did say she might come to visit some time. Aura was now heartily ashamed of herself. "Oh, I'm pleased to meet you," she whispered, extending her hand. What a terrible first impression she must be making, she thought.

Tertia took her hand graciously and replied that she was also glad to make her acquaintance, then there was an awkward pause.

"Why, Aura, what's wrong?" asked Vreenak, lifting an eyebrow.

Not wanting to confess what she had really thought, she said the first thing that came to mind. "Oh, nothing! I just…missed you…" she answered, blushing furiously.

Now it was Vreenak's turn to be surprised. He expected to have to trick her into acknowledging any feelings she might have, and he was touched by her humble admission. "My lady," he said, holding out his hand to her. She took it, then they all walked into the parlor.


	17. Let's Make A Deal

For a Romulan woman, Tertia was very beautiful and didn't look at all like a scientist. She was more like a living description of Arwen Evenstar from the Lord of the Rings books, being neither young nor old, with lovely dark hair, blue eyes, and leaf-shaped ears. Even her hairstyle was more Elvish than Romulan, since it was not cut with the usual bangs and she had a long lock in front of each ear. In other words, she didn't resemble her brother much aside from her coloring. But their kinship was shown through their personalities, since Tertia was quite astute and appeared to have the same sort of mindset. Aura imagined that in her own circles she must be a daunting force to be reckoned with and couldn't help but feel relieved that she was a blood relative instead of a rival.

Before she made her appearance in the hallway, Vreenak had informed his sister about his relationship with Aura. Tertia had heard the rumors and was not surprised. It was all rather peculiar, but she was happy that her brother had chosen someone, human or not, and was wishing him joy when the woman in question came in.

Despite their rather awkward introduction, Tertia was determined to be friends with her prospective sister-in-law, and asked her all sorts of questions about herself. Aura in turn asked about her scientific work, what she specialized in, etc.

She replied that she was a hydrologist, and she specialized in researching the water on the various planets of the Empire. Then she mentioned the war and asked her brother about the current situation.

"Yes, you'll be interested to know that we have declared war on the Dominion," he said to Aura. "And so far things are looking favorable. We've attacked over 17 bases and completely destroyed 13 of them. They've launched a few poorly planned assaults in response, but they never even reached our side of the border. We have several other offensive operations underway which I am certain will be successful, but I am not at liberty to discuss them. In addition," he frowned, "the Senate has agreed to cooperate with the Federation Alliance-"

Aura jumped up, "You've joined the Alliance?" This was good news!

"_I_ haven't," he corrected with a smirk, "but the majority of my colleagues seem to think that we would fare better by combining forces."

_"Sa'Lloann'na icupae'edh u'Kling'hann?"* _asked Tertia. "You must be joking."

"I wish I were."

"And what of Neral? He agreed to this as well?"

"Yes, I'm afraid it's all settled. But I did get one thing I wanted out of the bargain," said the seasoned politician. He poured a glass of ale for his sister and himself. "And it is a matter for celebration: Captain Sisko has been court-martialed, and is set to spend the next 15 years in prison."

"Well, at least some good came out of this."

"It serves him right, I suppose," said Aura.

"As you know, this has been a project very dear to my heart, and I consider it a personal victory," said Vreenak.

"Then why not make it a _formal_ celebration?" Tertia suggested with a cunning smile.

"I was about to propose that very thing." He took a seat next to Aura and handed her glass of wine, since she didn't care for the ale. "What do you say, my dear? Would you like to attend an extravagant, ridiculously formal event?" He took a sip. "There'll be a bunch of speech-making politicians like myself, a few stuffy old ambassadors, ruthless officers-"

"And only the upper crust of Romulan society!" interrupted Tertia. "Don't pay attention to him. It will be nothing short of marvelous, I assure you!"

Aura said that it sounded exciting and she was delighted at the prospect. Everything already seemed rather extravagant, so she could hardly imagine what a formal event might be like.

Later that evening, as they ate dinner, Tertia asked her brother what day he had in mind for the party.

Vreenak replied that he hadn't selected a day yet, but they had to allow for preparations, and invitations must be sent. "I have an idea: since I'm always so busy and you're so in favor of the idea, why don't you be a good little sister and handle all of the arrangements?"

Tertia was only too happy to take over, but pretended that she would only accept under the condition that Miss Miller would help her. "You must come shopping with me," she said. "We'll go to the finest shops and choose the best of everything."

Aura knew that the formidable female was more than capable of handling it all on her own, but it was nice to be included.

After much discussion, they all agreed that three days should be enough time for all the necessary arrangements.

* * *

Since the Romulans had joined the Alliance, Aura was spared the task of broaching that subject to Vreenak. But she still had to talk to him about Catherine's wedding, so when Tertia left them to go unpack her things, she figured now was as good a time as any.

She found herself sitting next to him, with his arm on the back of the sofa again.

"So tell me," he said. "What have you been up to this week, besides missing me, that is?"

She could have bet her life on that one. She knew he'd tease her about it sooner or later. Time for a taste of his own medicine. "Oh nothing, just pining away and sobbing my little heart out since you didn't come back when you said you would."

He laughed. "And now that I'm here?"

"Now that you're here I can go back to despising you," she quipped, and gave him the cold shoulder.

His eyebrows went up. "So that's how it works? Perhaps I should go away again."

"So soon? I'm sure I will die of heartache!"

"Then what am I supposed to do?"

"Oh, I'm afraid you'll have to figure that out on your own," she replied, batting her eyelashes.

Vreenak sat back and put a hand on his chin. This was an interesting little game. What was she up to? A moment later he smiled and said, "What if I said that I missed you as well, would that change anything?"

"It…might," she said evenly.

"You must know that only the gravest of circumstances could keep me from your side," he said, coming closer and speaking in a much lower tone.

Darn, his voice was amazing, and he knew it. It was becoming rather difficult to think clearly, but she managed to maintain her pretended indifference a bit longer.

"How responsible of you," she replied, taking a sip of wine. "But I'm afraid it won't do."

Despite her dismissive attitude, it did not escape him that she was happy to see him. Her face lit up every time he looked at her.

"Well then, I'm at a loss. But there must be some way to regain your good opinion…" He gave her a searching look. "Some sort of gift, perhaps?"

"All joking aside, there is something I want," she admitted.

He thought so. "And what would that be?"

"I'm afraid you won't like it."

"Name it."

"I want to go to Catherine's wedding."

He frowned and put his glass back on the table. "That's quite a request."

"I know, but this is important to me."

He narrowed his eyes. "When and where?" Of all things, why did she have to ask for that?

"Trill, in 10 days."

"You do realize that we're in the middle of a war?"

She nodded.

"I'm sorry, but the answer is no. Trill is in Federation territory, and-"

"But, the Alliance-"

"-It doesn't matter. I have serious obligations to fulfill here, and even if I could spare several days, we'd have to take a cloaking ship with an armed escort, and there's no way I could justify such an unnecessary trip at this time."

"I could go alone," she pointed out.

"Absolutely out of the question," he said sternly.

She did not like that one bit. Forget about the wedding. This was a much bigger issue. "Why not? Back on the station you said that I could leave whenever I wanted."

"The alpha quadrant has become a dangerous place since then," he said gravely. "The Jem'Hadar have shown that they can seize entire planets deep into Federation space, and I refuse to let you get yourself captured or killed over this."

"You refuse to let me?" she repeated, standing up. "I don't see what right you have to tell me what to do with my life, unless I really am a prisoner after all?"

"Why must you always look at it like that? Can't you see that I'm concerned for your safety?"

"I think you're just afraid that I won't want to come back!" she snapped.

"You might not be _able_ to come back whether you wanted to or not, have you considered that?" he snapped back. "Of course you haven't. And what kind of friend would ask you to risk your life over something so trivial? Unless perhaps you'd like to spend the rest of your life in a Dominion prison?"

Aura slammed her glass down on the table and went over to the window. This conversation was getting much too heated and she had to get a hold of herself. She was steeped in negative emotions. But as much as she hated to admit it, Vreenak was right about the danger. For the most part she believed that he was genuinely concerned about her, but he didn't have to be such a jerk about it. And in the back of her mind there was always this sneaky suspicion that he was lying when he said she could leave, and this little exchange didn't do very much to convince her otherwise. She considered leaving the room, but the thought of ending the day on such a bad note didn't sit well with her.

Vreenak hadn't meant to be severe. It normally took quite a lot to make him lose his composure, but she'd struck a nerve. Now he could see that she was emotionally fraught and if he didn't diffuse the situation quickly it could be a major setback. It was time to employ the sympathy factor.

"I'm sorry. I did not mean to upset you. It's just that…" He sighed. "It hurts me when you accuse me of holding you prisoner."

She glanced over her shoulder at him. He was staring at the floor in a most agitated manner.

"What's more, you still don't believe in my feelings for you. You would not have said that if you did." He bit his lip. "I realize that I can be a most…disagreeable fellow, and I've always known that you didn't care for me much. But I thought you were joking when you said you despised me… I suppose if you didn't before you do now."

Aura was already on the verge of exploding or crying, and this emotional display was all that was necessary to push her over the edge. Vreenak looked positively desolate, and when he pinched the bridge of his nose (one of those things men do when they're trying not to cry) her heart melted completely.

"Oh Merken! You know I don't hate you!" she cried. In an instant she reached her arms up around his neck and even kissed his hollow cheek once or twice. "I'm sorry I snapped at you! And I did miss you, but you can be such a jerk sometimes!"

"I know. I'm sorry," he whispered sadly, putting his arms around her. His little strategy was working like a charm and better than he anticipated.

"I don't really care about the wedding all that much. It's just that I hate feeling like I have no choice, and I'm worried about my family, you know?" She sniffed and wiped her tears away.

"Then let's make a deal. You stay here with me, and I'll do everything I can to ensure their safety."

"Really?" She looked up into his eyes. "How will you do that?"

"I can have them monitored, and be more…supportive of our new allies," he answered, the last part rather grudgingly. Oh well. Supporting the Federation was the popular thing to do anyway, so he may as well get something out of it.

Wow, she thought. This was a big deal coming from him. But there was still one thing she needed to know. "Would you really have let me go if these were peaceful times?"

He looked her straight in the eyes and said, "Yes." He was a man of his word after all.

But thankfully these were _not_ peaceful times, and if all went well, she'd be his adoring little wife long before those times returned.

* * *

* _With Federation failures and Klingons?_


	18. Building Trust

Aura gazed searchingly into the Senator's eyes for a moment, then she realized that his arms were still around her. She took a step back, suddenly unsure how to feel about the proximity. "I think it's… it's time to go now," she whispered, not really knowing what else to do or say.

He released her, but said, "Please stay a while longer. I won't be here tomorrow."

The idea of enduring another full day without him so soon made her spirits sink. He was the only person on the planet who really wanted her there, after all. "Alright."

"Come, we need to talk." He sat back down and motioned for her to join him. She complied rather timidly. From the moment she embraced him they seemed to be on a new level of closeness. It was a bit awkward, but somehow delightful at the same time.

"I need to know why you don't trust me."

"I want to trust you…" she began earnestly.

"But?"

"But… things got off to a bad start, and trust is one of those things that must be earned," she answered without looking at him.

"What would it take to convince you?" he asked, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear.

"I'm not sure," was her sad reply.

He thought for a moment. The irony of the situation was that if Aura had been a Romulan woman, they wouldn't be having this conversation. There would have been a meeting of the minds, an emotional connection. But since she was not Vulcanoid, it probably wouldn't work. Then again, it was worth a try at least.

"Aura, if you'll permit me to try it, there might be a way for you to understand me better."

"What do you mean?"

"You've must have heard of the Vulcan mind meld?"

"Yes, of course. Are you saying that Romulans can do that, too?"

"Well, no. Not exactly. It is not so precise as that. It's more of…" he searched for the right words, "an emotional bridge. The Romulan race is descended from the ancient Vulcans, and all Vulcanoids have natural telepathic abilities. We simply do not waste our lives meditating and developing them like the Vulcans do. As a result, we are not so adept as they are in this matter, but I think you will agree that it is a fair exchange for the ability to live with emotion."

"I could not imagine a life without it. It seems pointless to me," she agreed. "But how does this work, exactly?"

"It would be easier to show you rather than tell you," he said, taking her hand. "But I am asking first because, if it works, it could be an overwhelming experience for you."

He looked down, and for the first time Aura saw his face tinged green in embarrassment. It was kind of sweet, almost endearing. A far cry from his usual haughtiness and intimidating stares.

"You should also know that this is only ever done by lovers, and while it is not my intention to take advantage of you, I can think of no other way to show you that I am sincere. Shall I proceed?"

She thought about it for a long moment, then nodded.

The senator matched her left hand with his right, palm to palm. With his other hand he lifted her chin so she would look him directly in the eyes, then he caressed her fingers several times. Nothing. He matched both hands, concentrated, and waited. Still nothing. In one final attempt, he held one of her hands against his face and traced her face with the other hand. He stopped and shook his head. "It's not working."

There was no telepathic exchange at all. Aura felt nothing, aside from her own quickened heartbeat. Vreenak's face went green again, and after an uncomfortable pause he said, "It is getting late, isn't it? I'll…uh, bring you back home now."

He may have felt awkward and embarrassed at the failure, but in Aura's own opinion, this attempt was not totally without merit. The fact that he was willing to try and establish trust through some sort of mental or emotional bridge showed how deeply he cared. She began to feel a new level of respect for him.

* * *

Once again, they walked arm in arm to her door.

"Goodnight, or maybe I should say _jolan tru_," said Aura, setting the tablet in her pocket to record.

Recovering his usual attitude, Vreenak favored her with a smile, then said what registered in her mind as, "_Faedheu, arh'lyretha_. _Veisaan tohr cunaemn_, later I _hruuhi_ your heart. Later we _annha, ecimae t'_ we_ hrhae_ good day _u'flaeon aeiiht_."

"Don't stay away too long," she said, stepping inside. She'd got him now. In a few minutes she'd know what it meant.

"I'll try, but I've got your people to look after now, don't I? In addition to my own."

She beamed at him and hoped that somewhere deep in his heart, under all of that cultured conceit and political scheming was a good man. If he wasn't, she was beginning to like him too much for her own good. "Thank you for keeping an eye on them for me."

"A small price to pay for your regard, my lady." She'd never looked at him like that before, and he couldn't help but gaze back into those captivating brown eyes flecked with green and gold. Hazel, the humans called it.

"My sister will keep you company while I'm gone."

"You will make it to your own party, won't you?" she teased.

"Without a doubt." His expression changed and she knew he was about to say something quirky. "I'll see you later…alligator."

It didn't fail to bring a smile to her face. "After while, crocodile."

When he was out of earshot, she sighed and said to herself, "I wish I knew what you were up to, and that you didn't have to go so soon. I already miss those pointy ears… and those fluffy eyebrows." Those Romulan characteristics were his best features, in her opinion.

"Try not to die of heartache," he called without looking back.

Aaaaaah! He heard it. "You! Get going you scoundrel!" She had half a mind to pick up a rock and toss it at him.

He laughed and was gone.

After shutting the door she scoffed, then laughed heartily. That villain. He was always pushing his luck. She'd have to think of a way to get him back for that one.

Now! The translation. She went over to the living room and turned on the light to read it.

Her breath caught in her throat. "Oh my gosh…" she whispered, putting one hand on her face and the other over her heart.

_Rest now, true one. Whatever it takes, I will win your heart. Someday we will marry, then we will say good night and stay together._

The last part… she read it again and felt her face burning. She'd known all along that he felt that way, but to hear it spoken in his native language like that… and to know that he'd been saying that or something similar every night… it was so incredibly romantic! That was why he was saying it in Romulan. He wanted to express his feelings, but she had asked him not to speak of marriage yet.

She fell back and gazed up at the ceiling. Is this love? She wondered. He was always on her mind now, and she'd come to realize that she craved his attention. But when she got it, he vexed her so much that she was never quite sure how she felt about him. It was terribly confusing.

There was no way she was going to be able to sleep tonight.

* * *

That night, Vreenak also found it difficult to sleep and paced around in his room. Several notable things had happened that evening. Besides that, his conscience (and he did have one) was bothering him, which was a rare occurrence.

The senator stopped pacing for a moment to reflect on the two things that stood out most.

The first was the unsuccessful attempt at forging an emotional connection. He was rather disappointed that it hadn't worked, but he'd also known from the beginning that this was a possibility and he was willing to accept it. He was too far gone to give up now. The Romulan heart simply did not work like that. He loved her, and if humans could live without a telepathic connection to their spouse then so could he.

The second was the incredible moment when she'd rushed into his arms and kissed him. He smiled and closed his eyes to recall the moment more vividly. He so wanted to return her kisses, but that would have given his little act away.

That was the part that bothered him most, the emotional game he'd played this evening. It shouldn't have, though. He'd done much worse before in his career and would likely do so again. But this was the first time he'd not been totally honest with the woman he loved, the one person who'd always been honest with him, as far as he could tell.

It had worked wonderfully, and he even managed to embrace her for the first time. But his conscience insisted that it just wasn't right to manipulate her like that, and he should refrain from such theatrics in the future if he ever intended to be worthy of her trust.

Yes. He should have been better prepared for an obstacle like that, which was bound to come up at one time or another.

He went over to the desk and played back the "wedding" conversation that was recorded earlier. He could see that she had put on a brave face for her friend. Hmmm. Catherine had been an ally up until this point, but now she was unwittingly throwing a wrench in the works. Aura had agreed to stay for now, but she was clearly disappointed at not being able to go, and these feelings would only be renewed each time she spoke to her friend as the event drew near. It was 10 days from now. A lot could happen in 10 days.

What could he do to mitigate this? It seemed the couple had decided to change the date because of the war situation. Perhaps he could pull a few strings and get the Trill reassigned. That shouldn't be too hard. What else could he do?

He smiled to himself and made a call. When the recipient answered, she jumped back in shock. _"Senator Vreenak?"_

"Hello, Catherine. I'm sorry to disturb you, but I think it's high time you and I had a little chat."


	19. Making Arrangements

Early the next morning Aura woke up cradled on the sofa with Vreenak's picture in her hand. She had been looking at it and must have fallen asleep. She was still tired, had a headache, and kind of wished that she could just go back to bed. But she was supposed to join Tertia for breakfast, then they would start preparing for the party. She sighed then got up to go wash her face and change.

After breakfast and some cordial small talk, they went to the computer to select a design for the invitations. An hour later they sent them out, then Tertia made some calls and hired several musicians. Then they took one of the shuttles to the market, accompanied by one of the guards stationed on the estate.

The first place they went to was a special catering company. About an hour and several extraordinary samples later, they made their selections. There would be towering fruit arrangements, a multitude of expensive finger foods, over a dozen roasted birds, four types of fish and shellfish, and a dizzying array of vegetables and sauces. The desserts the ordered were so complicated and fantastic that they were just beyond description.

On to the florist shop, where Tertia ordered tons of garlands and table decorations as well as a few giant stand alone arrangements. Money was clearly not an issue to this family. It was easily one of the richest in the Empire.

The next stop was the tailor. Once they got out of the shuttle, Tertia ran into an old acquaintance. There were two children with him, a boy and a girl.

"Well, fancy meeting you here," he said when he caught up with them.

"Senator Letant! What a pleasant surprise!" she replied with a gracious smile.

"Yes. It must be nearly a year since we last met."

"Has it really been that long? And who are these adorable children with you?" she asked.

"My brother's children. We were just on our way to the zoo," he answered with a smile.

"We're going to be late," chimed the little girl.

Letant tuned the child out. His eyes were fixed on the noble Romulan lady. "I had no idea that you were in town, until I received your invitation this morning."

Aura surmised that with her fascinating beauty, flawless poise, money and powerful connections, Tertia must be considered quite a catch.

"That's because I only just arrived yesterday," explained Tertia. "I do hope you will be able to attend."

"Oh, I'll definitely be there. You may depend upon it." He then asked to be introduced to her companion, even though he already knew full well who it was. Since that infamous day in the Senate, Vreenak's scandalous affair had become the talk of the town.

"Miss Miller, our special guest."

"Delighted to make your acquaintance," he said, with a slight bow. Just then two children got impatient and started pulling on Letant's arms.

"Come on, Uncle! Hurry up!" said the girl, who couldn't have been more than four.

"We want to see the Klingons!" said the boy, who appeared to be somewhere between 7 and 10.

Tertia and Letant both burst into laughter.

"Well, I must be going now. _Jolan tru_." With that, he and the two children walked away. "Ha ha ha. Klingons. At the zoo. Wherever did you get that idea?"

Tertia watched them leave with a curious look on her face, then marched into the dress shop. Needless to say they spent the longest amount of time there. After much deliberation Tertia decided on an imposing black and plum-colored gown that had ruching at the shoulders. It was clinched at the waist with a metallic brooch, and to Aura it looked like some sort of new age Greco-Roman style, like most things on Romulus, but it seemed to suit her looks and personality perfectly.

"Yes, I like this one. When will it be ready?" she asked the tailor in Romulan.

"First thing in the morning," she replied. "Now what shall we do for this one?" The tailor tilted her head toward the human.

"Have you seen anything you like?" asked Tertia in Federation Standard.

"This style is nice, but I don't like the color," Aura replied. She'd finally found a book of styles that didn't all have super-high collars and long sleeves, but they were still mostly black, grey and a few other dark or drab shades.

Tertia came over and looked at the picture, then she folded her lips and whispered. "Eh…yes. That is very nice, but it is not formal attire. That is a _temarhkh mohaes_. What do you call it? A night dress?"

"Oh," said Aura, hastily closing the book. It was lingerie. For a minute she felt like the biggest idiot on the planet, even though the style would have easily passed for formal attire according to Earth standards.

Then Tertia smiled mischievously and said, "We'll get you one of those. Every woman should have one. But you must choose something else for the party."

"I'm so glad you told me." She would have looked like some wanton floozy showing up like that. She could only wonder what the Senator must have thought of her choice of dress on other occasions. Is that why he was always giving her those strange looks? She hoped not. But then again, as far as she could remember she'd always dressed conservatively.

Guessing her thoughts, Tertia laughed. "You are so innocent. That must be why my brother likes you. Now what colors do you like?"

Her tone was a little condescending, and Aura suddenly found herself feeling sort of rebellious. She was not a Romulan, and didn't want to conform to their boring assortment of colors. She wanted to wear something vibrant. "Would it be considered scandalous to wear bright red or pink?"

Tertia considered her question. "Scandalous? No. Especially not for a human. We just don't favor those colors because they do not complement our complexions. Choose whatever color you like, but keep in mind that bright colors will draw a lot of attention," she said with that same sly expression from a moment ago.

* * *

Over lunch, Aura decided that she liked Tertia overall. She was friendly and her enthusiasm was contagious. The only thing that bothered her was that from time to time she felt as though she was being patronized, but she supposed it was only natural since Tertia was a lot older than she was. It was strange to think that this elfin enchantress was 57 (the same age as her mother), but for a Romulan that must be like 28.

The majority of their conversation consisted of the differences and similarities between Earth and Romulus, since they didn't have much in common personally, and Aura didn't feel comfortable discussing her feelings for Vreenak with his sister. But every now and then Tertia would speak highly of her brother, and managed to tactfully drop a few hints that she would welcome her as a sister-in-law, should things turn out that way.

* * *

Meanwhile, somewhere along the Neutral Zone, Commander D'Loran, another proud Romulan female, was exchanging insults with her most hated rival, Commander Sela.

Over the years, their paths had crossed several times as they competed for promotions, prestige and the most noteworthy assignments. Both women had incredible determination, and while Sela may have had a bit more cunning, she'd had a few glaring setbacks, and D'Loran had better connections. Her brother was the dreaded Koval, the indomitable Chairman of the Tal Shiar.

On this particular day, Sela was getting the better of her verbally, and in a fit of frustration she threw out that Sela was incompetent and inferior for being half human. Usually this would cause Sela to fly into a rage, but today was different.

Sela burst into laughter. "As usual you have no room to talk, D'Loran, since you were just rejected in favor of a human."

"What are you talking about?"

Sela laughed again. "Haven't you heard the latest gossip? Your old flame, Senator Vreenak, is courting a human. He was seen wandering all around the capital buying things for her, and she's said to be living on his estate."

The news hit her like a ton of bricks, and Sela laughed again. "Didn't your brother tell you? Well, I may be half human, but at least I keep myself informed."

Sela savored her victory for a moment, then decided to quit while she was ahead and move on to her next assignment.

The fact of the matter was, D'Loran and Vreenak's families had been on friendly terms for centuries. She and the Senator had been educated together, and were about the same age and social status, so when they were growing up many had assumed that the two of them would eventually marry. Their parents were receptive to the idea, and had actually proposed it to their children once. But as usually happens in such cases, the constant conjecture and speculation only served to make them strongly opposed toward one another. D'Loran had always known that Vreenak would become a Senator someday, but that didn't mean much to her when she was young. But now, in addition to that, he was Vice-Chairman of the Tal Shiar, second only to her brother, and one of Praetor Neral's most trusted advisors. Over the years she began to see how much an alliance like that could benefit her. Should something happen to Koval, who was ill with Tuvan syndrome, she would still have a reliable Tal Shiar connection. Since Vreenak had remained single all these years, she had even occasionally taken the liberty of boasting to her enemies that he was only waiting for her word to proceed, but she chose to keep him waiting while she made a name for herself without his help.

But now that had all blown up in her face. Even worse, an invitation soon arrived for some sort of war-related celebration at the Senator's home. Certainly all the political and available military celebrities would be there, and possibly this human female as well. She decided it was time to pay a visit to her brother and find out exactly what was going on.


	20. In The Pale Moonlight

The next afternoon, Aura decided to call her friend, since it had been a few days since they'd spoken and she really needed to talk.

Catherine was excited and had a bunch of good news: her fiancé was going to be stationed on Trill permanently, and they didn't have to rush their wedding anymore. They could still do the big ceremony just like they always wanted.

As part of the deal, Catherine didn't breathe a word of her "little chat" with the Senator, which basically consisted of him offering to get the Trill out of the line of fire in exchange for postponing the wedding. She agreed, but only after thoroughly grilling him on his intentions and making sure he understood that she would find some way in the universe to "knock him off" if he wasn't good to her friend.

When it was her turn to talk, Aura told her friend all about meeting the sister and the party preparations, then she moved on to the more serious and confusing topic. But even after two hours of talking it out and soul searching she didn't find herself any less conflicted.

Just before they hung up, Catherine wished her a happy birthday. With all the unusual things going on, she'd forgotten about it herself. _30 years old today,_ her biological clock chimed, and she sighed.

Her parents would soon be calling, too, no doubt. Birthdays hadn't meant all that much to her in the past few years, but today it made her a little homesick for her loved ones and Earthly traditions.

Her thoughts drifted back to the previous evening. "What would it take to convince you?" he'd asked. She didn't have the answer yet, but one thing was certain: it would take a lot more than words.

* * *

"I'm not going!" D'Loran screamed, once she'd been made aware of all the particulars.

"You will go, since you are already here," said Koval in a tone of finality.

"I refuse to be portrayed as some sort of castoff! To be compared to some pathetic Terran wench!"

"If you've made a fool of yourself that is your own problem. You are going because I say you are going. I will not have you snub some of our oldest and most influential allies."

D'Loran sneered as Koval got up to leave the room.

"You can be a brilliant woman, _rinam_. There were times when you made me proud to call you my sister. I don't know what you were thinking when you talked yourself into this predicament, but I suggest that you use this event as an opportunity to set the record straight."

He paused in the doorway. "Oh, and one more thing. I will be watching you. Do not even think about causing any trouble. Since you seem to have taken leave of your better judgment I will make this an order. If you disobey me, you will be punished. Do not make the mistake of thinking that I will spare you on familial grounds."

* * *

The next two days were busy with deliveries and supervising the decorations and place settings. When the day of the party finally arrived the whole house was buzzing with excitement.

When Tertia was satisfied with her own appearance, she called Aura and offered to help with her hair, which she really appreciated since she couldn't do anything very elaborate by herself.

"There, I think that will do nicely," she said as she pinned the last lock into place. "You look dazzling. Now let's go down. The guests will be arriving soon."

It was about two hours before sunset, and Aura hadn't seen anything of the Senator for several days, though he had spoken to his sister once or twice about some of the arrangements.

As Aura followed Tertia down the first flight of stairs she could hear his voice and it made her anxious. When they descended the second flight, Vreenak and about half a dozen guests (who'd apparently arrived early) all stopped talking and stared. It was no ordinary sight.

Tertia positively glowed with pride and nobility. With her dark looks and bright blue eyes she was the classic example of Romulan beauty. She had an elegant, commanding presence, and would undoubtedly be much sought after this evening.

Aura's appearance was no less stunning. In bright red satin with a golden shine in her hair she had all the charm of a vibrant alien enchantress. In the eyes of her paramour she was every bit the fire sprite he'd been looking for two years ago, and he was convinced that there was no more beautiful creature in the universe. She had sort of a mild defiance in her expression, which softened when their eyes met. That alone was enough to make him regret this whole party idea and wish that they were alone. But at least now he could show her off, and make all those fools who'd ridiculed his choice envy him.

Tertia went next to her brother and immediately fell into the role of hostess, while Aura stood at his other side and was introduced to everyone. The early people turned out to be none other than Praetor Neral and his wife, Pro-consul Relam, Vice-proconsul Telak and his wife, and Senator Cretak.

Around 200 people had been invited, and Aura didn't even try to remember them all, but there were some that stood out. There was Ambassador Decius, whom she vaguely remembered seeing at the concert two years ago, Senator Letant, whom she met at the market, Chairman Koval of the Tal Shiar ("My superior," whispered Vreenak), his sister Commander D'Loran, and another Senator named Tal'aura. The rest were all kind of a blur.

Once everyone had finally arrived, they all went to their places at the tables. Then Vreenak made a short speech about Captain Sisko getting what he deserved, eventually winning the war, and toasted to justice, victory, and the glory of the empire.

Everyone enthusiastically echoed the sentiments then they all sat down to eat. Etiquette demanded that Praetor Neral and other more prominent guests be seated near the head of the table, so Vreenak was too far away for her to talk to. But thankfully she was next to Tertia, and across from her was Senator Cretak, who turned out to be a great deal friendlier than Aura expected her to be.

When the meal was over, Vreenak came over to her and led her into the gallery.

"You are a vision tonight," he whispered, kissing her hand. "You should always wear that color."

"Why thank you, Senator," she replied. "I must admit you're looking rather distinguished yourself."

"I have a surprise for you." He brought her over to a table on which there were bunches of flowers and a beautifully decorated box.

"What's this?" she asked.

"A present, for you. Is it not your custom to give gifts on the anniversary of one's birth?" he answered with a smirk. "Open it."

With all the things he had going on, that lovable jerk had remembered her birthday, when she'd nearly forgotten it herself. Everyone else had followed them into the room, and they were all looking at her expectantly, so she untied the ribbon, opened the box, and gasped. "Stradivarius," she whispered reverently. "How did you get this?"

"That's for me to know. Will you favor us?"

"I couldn't," she protested.

"You must," he insisted, but she hesitated. "I shall be very much offended if you don't."

She gave in. Carefully lifting the relic out of the case, she thought for a moment about which piece she should play. She decided on Schubert's _Ständchen_, since it was one of her favorites and not very long. She checked to make sure the instrument was in tune then started to play. The Stradivarius lived up to its reputation. The sound was flawless, and Aura poured her soul into the music. It seemed so unbearably long since she'd played, and she had to fight back tears as she reached the most beautiful part of the piece. When it was over, she was recalled from her utopian dream by the gradually increasing sound of applause.

Of course Vreenak had initiated it, followed by Tertia. A moment later the guests rather grudgingly complied, beginning with Praetor Neral. Ever since that infamous day in the Hall of State they all feared for their reputations.

Aura curtseyed politely, then put the instrument back in the case. Then the servants came in carrying trays of drinks, and she was relieved when the attention shifted away long enough for her to escape to the veranda for a moment.

Everything was perfect and she needed a moment to take it all in. The weather was perfect, the sunset was perfect, the gift was perfect, and the giver… was suddenly right next to her.

She reached her arms up around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you."

This time he couldn't resist and kissed her directly on the lips. "You're welcome," he replied with a smirk, and since she didn't protest he kissed her again, a little more fervently. It was heavenly.

This must be love, she thought. It must be. How could it be otherwise when she felt so wonderful that it was impossible to describe? Maybe he was "the one." She really hoped that he was.

"I've waited so long for this…" he whispered. He tried to capture her lips again, but she stopped him with her fingers.

"We should go back inside," she said shyly. "They'll be wondering where you are."

He sighed, but perhaps it was best. If he remained alone with her now things could very easily get out of hand. He must be content for now. "I love you."

"I believe you."

They headed back to the party, and he jokingly said, "If this is how you'll thank me, I shall have to buy you things more often."

* * *

The next chapter will be posted soon!


	21. Careless Whisper

No one really noticed them leave the room, but everyone seemed to notice when they came back. After a while Aura found herself standing next to Tertia in a corner of the room, while Ambassador Decius called Vreenak over into a conversation with himself and Letant.

"So what are you up to?" asked Aura.

"I'm about half finished making my rounds," Tertia replied.

"Eh, I don't envy you that. It sounds really boring and tedious."

"I love it. The atmosphere, the cliques, the intrigues, everything. I try to arrange something like this every time I come. Besides, it's the best way to find a husband."

Aura thought she was joking and laughed. Tertia quirked an eyebrow at her and she stopped.

"You're serious?"

"Yes, of course I am."

"Alright then. Any particular gentleman in mind?"

"Several, in fact."

"Who are the candidates?"

Tertia smiled. "Why don't you try and guess?"

Alright, this would be kind of fun. Aura looked carefully around the room, eliminating those that appeared to too young, too old, or married. "Senator Letant?" He came alone and Tertia seemed to be on very good terms with him when they met him in the market.

"He is one, yes."

That was an obvious one. Now who else? Her eyes fell on a rather handsome officer, who was standing in the midst of several other military personnel. "What about him? The officer over there in the middle."

"Bochra?" She shook her head. "No. He is only a Centurion and his family has only recently earned distinction. It would be a most unequal match."

Ok, she was looking for an _equal_ match. That narrowed it down quite a bit, but it also made Aura wonder whether Tertia considered her relationship with Vreenak to be a most unequal match as well. Pushing those unpleasant thoughts aside, she proceeded with the guessing game.

After two or three more wrong guesses, Tertia pointed toward an ominous figure who was standing alone on the opposite side of the room. "What do you think of that one?"

"That guy?" asked Aura in total shock.

"Yes."

It was Chairman Koval, who was scowling deeply and looked utterly unapproachable and menacing.

"You _must_ be joking this time," said Aura.

"I am not. He's the only single man in the room whose status is above my own, be it ever so slightly," she answered offhandedly.

"I think you'd be better off with Letant."

"I don't think I care much for Letant anymore."

"But Koval, he just looks so mean!"

Tertia smiled. "Mean? Perhaps he is. Let's ask him, shall we? It would be an interesting way to start a conversation-"

"What? No! I'm not going to ask him that!" said Aura, half in a panic and half amused.

"Oh, very well. Stay here. I'll do it myself."

Tertia confidently made her way over to the other side of the room and struck up a conversation with the intimidating creature. Over the next 15 minutes the harshness in his face gradually softened and he actually smiled once or twice. After she walked away from him he watched her for several more minutes then left to join Vreenak's conversation. Tertia continued to socialize her way around the room.

"He's adorable," she said, when she came back over to Aura. "You saw how he smiled for me? Poor man. Standing all alone because everyone was too afraid to speak to him. I imagine he's only mean on the outside because he's lonely on the inside. I can manage that."

"Are you sure? Just the look of him is enough to make me shudder."

"He's rumored to have Tuvan syndrome, so I expect he must be bitter about that." She took a sip of her drink then said decisively, "I like him, and I think he'll make an excellent husband."

Aura could only stare at her. "How can you make such an important decision so casually? Don't you want to get to know him first, and make sure you have the same values and ideals?"

Tertia waved her hand dismissively. "We Romulans don't spend much time on those subjects. Our values are universal. There is only disagreement about the best way to implement them. Besides, if we should turn out to be a truly unhappy couple I shall not have to put up with him for long, unless someone discovers a cure for Tuvan Syndrome."

This was a prime example of Romulan practicality, and Aura found it a little unsettling. "Well, it's your life. I can only wish you the best of luck."

"And if I believed in luck I would thank you for it." She finished her drink and put the glass away. "I must continue my rounds now. You're more than welcome to come with me, if you like."

"No, I think not."

"Are you sure? It would be good practice, since this could very well be your duty one day," said Tertia. It was another one of her little hints.

"Maybe some other time."

"Suit yourself."

The Romulan lady walked away, leaving Aura to ponder whether she could ever fully adjust to life in a society like this. A little while later Senator Cretak came up to her.

"I've heard you've been to Deep Space Nine. Is that correct?" she asked.

"Yes. I spent a few days there recently."

"Did you ever meet the infamous Captain Sisko?" asked Cretak with a smile.

"No, but I did catch a glimpse of him."

"What's the station itself like?"

"Quite a bit darker and gloomier than I expected."

"Well, it was built by the Cardassians, so I'm not surprised."

"I haven't done a great deal of traveling, but I think it's safe to say that it's fairly unique as far as stations go. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious. I'll be going there myself in a few days, to serve as our representative. Speaking of which, I suppose now's a good time to start saying my farewells."

"You're leaving already? The party's only just started."

"I'd like to stay, but I still have a number of preparations to make for the journey. Anyway, it was nice meeting you, Miss Miller."

To Aura's surprise, Cretak extended her hand. She took it and cordially wished her a safe trip.

* * *

"So, Vreenak," said Ambassador Decius. "Is that the same little creature that you pointed out to me at the Interstellar Law Charter some time ago?"

"Yes, the very same."

"Well, for an off-worlder she's quite a beauty, wouldn't you say, Letant?"

"There's no point in pretending otherwise. Even Koval would have to admit it, and I believe no one despises humans more than he does. Isn't that right, Chairman?"

Koval had just walked up with his usual sour expression. "Miss Miller is…notable, but she is not the most handsome woman in the room. That distinction belongs to another," he said, glancing in Tertia's direction.

"Yes. I believe I shall have to come here more often," said Letant with a smile. Koval shot him a hateful look and he added, "Once I get back from Deep Space Nine, that is."

Unnoticed by the men, D'Loran overheard every word, and she seethed with rage at not even being mentioned. The only thing worse than being talked about was being ignored altogether. But she'd show them. She'd ruin it all, no matter what it cost her. All she needed was an opportunity to speak to this human alone, or at least without the watchful eyes of Koval.

Just then, she heard her brother say, "My dear friend, may I speak to you alone for a moment? There is personal matter I'd like to discuss."

"Of course."

Excellent! Both Koval and Vreenak were gone. Now she only need worry about Tertia… Good. Letant was heading for her. Now was the time…

Left by herself, Aura would have been quite bored were it not such a beautiful setting. Not many were considerate enough to speak Federation Standard on her behalf, so there was little for her to do except stand there, try to pick out familiar words, and guess what they were talking about.

Presently a female commander, whom she remembered as having arrived with the Chairman, approached her and struck up a conversation.

"Well, I hear congratulations are in order," said D'Loran with a smile.

"Thank you. I'm not sure I'm happy about being a year older," she answered pleasantly.

"Oh not that, I meant your engagement," said D'Loran. "Isn't that the proper human response when someone becomes engaged?"

Aura blinked. "I'm afraid you must be mistaken, we're not engaged."

"Oh! He hasn't asked you yet? I thought when you went outside… I've said too much. I'm sorry if I spoiled the surprise. I only just arrived from the Neutral Zone, and I didn't know about it until yesterday."

"Know about what?" asked Aura.

"You really don't know? It's the talk of the town, and Vreenak's been so vocal about it that I thought it was all settled. I'm sorry. I've obviously made a mistake." She moved as if to walk away, but Aura stopped her.

"Wait. What are you saying? Vreenak has been talking about me?"

D'Loran looked around uncomfortably, then she took her by the arm back into the dining room. "The whole Senate has been talking about you," she whispered. "That place can turn into a regular gambling hall at times. They've been taking bets on whether or not you'll accept him, and he's boasted that you'll make him a husband and a father by the end of the season. He was supposed to propose to you tonight, so when you came back inside I assumed…"

Aura was stunned into silence. Could it be true? She looked back into the other room, where a moment ago Vreenak had been standing around drinking and laughing with his cronies. The worst part was that it wasn't at all difficult for her to picture him doing such a thing. He was certainly bold and arrogant enough. When she saw him come back into the room, a sickening feeling crept over her as all her suspicion resurfaced with a vengeance. She felt humiliated, objectified. She felt betrayed.

D'Loran put a hand on her shoulder. "Let me give you some advice: don't refuse. Things will go a lot easier for you that way. A Romulan always finds a way to get what he wants, so while it may seem like you have a choice in the matter, it just seems that way."

Just then Chairman Koval stalked up, looking most seriously displeased. "You disobeyed me."

"She has to know the truth!" shouted D'Loran. This drew the whole room's attention.

"I warned you, but you refused to listen. You've betrayed me both personally and professionally, and now you will suffer the consequences."

Koval seized D'Loran's wrist with an iron grip and started heading for the nearest exit.

"Leaving so soon, Koval?" said Vreenak, catching up with them. "I thought you were going to attend to other matters."

"I'm afraid those matters will have to wait," answered Koval.

D'Loran laughed wickedly. "See to your own woman, Vreenak. She looked pale when she stumbled out the back door."

"Silence!" roared Koval, and roughly dragged her away with the help of his personal guards.


	22. Knew It Was A Snake When I Picked It Up

_Special thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Your comments were all so encouraging! :)_

* * *

"I should have known better," Aura chided herself as the tears welled up in her eyes. He was a liar and a manipulator by trade. She'd known that from the beginning, and yet she allowed herself to get caught up in the moment. She deluded herself into thinking that he would treat her differently, that he respected her despite the fact that the rest of his race held nothing but contempt for humans. How could she have been so stupid?

Vreenak hastened outside and looked around. There she was, leaning against the outer wall. She looked distressed.

"My love, what happened? Are you ill?" He tried to reach out to her, but she backed away defensively.

"It's true, isn't it?"

"What did she tell you?" he asked calmly.

"That you've all been jabbering about me… you and your cronies…"

That was true, but he hadn't said anything that should make her so upset. There must have been some slander thrown in. "Alright, start at the beginning and tell me everything."

"So you can explain it all away? Don't bother. I'm probably too_ simple_ to keep up with you, anyway!" cried Aura. "This is all just a game to you, isn't it? I'm just an object to you, something to flirt with and manipulate." She shook her head and her eyes filled with tears. "And there were moments when I thought I could love you…"

She was shutting him out. He couldn't stand for that, not now. He closed the distance and held her by the shoulders. "Aura, I love you. You know that. I've never lied to you, my darling. Never. To others, yes, but not you." He bent down to kiss her, but she turned her face and pushed him away.

"I can't fix this if you won't tell me what happened," he said sternly.

"You know what happened! It seems everyone knew about it except me," she snapped bitterly. "Well, you're going to have to find someone else to win your bet for you. I'm done here." She broke away from him and marched toward her house.

"What's this you say? A bet?" he asked, catching up with her. "Is that what she told you? That's a lie. There was no betting."

"That sounds really weak coming from you, _Senator_," was her sarcastic reply. "You're a liar by trade, and I want nothing more to do with you."

"You think I'm just going to let you walk away like this?" He reached out and stopped her.

"Let go of me!" She tried to shake his hand off her wrist.

"After all the pains I've taken, all the risks I've endured?"

"I don't care. I'm not going to be your little house pet!" She struggled harder and tried to pry his hand off.

"No, you're going to be my wife," he corrected.

"Oh, I forgot. I have no choice in the matter!"

"You don't know how much I love you. Let me show you," he said, then kissed her. If she wouldn't believe his words, maybe she'd believe this. It had worked an hour ago, and seemed to be working again, until she recovered her wits and slapped him in the face.

"And here I was thinking you're some kind of gentleman! You're just a… a Romulan sugar daddy!"

He wasn't quite sure what that meant, but she implied that it was the opposite of a gentleman. He was now thoroughly exasperated and insulted. Fine. If she wanted to call names he had one for her, too. "Well, at least I'm not an unfeeling hypocrite."

"Oh, I'm the hypocrite?"

"Yes, you are. You've got quite a bit of that Federation mentality. You ramble on about being open minded and unprejudiced, but you've been decided against me from the very beginning!"

"Oh my gosh! You read my college papers? That was just a bunch of idealistic nonsense!"

"Do you mean to say you no longer believe what you wrote about so vehemently?" he mocked.

"That was years ago and I was a starry-eyed college student! Of course I no longer believe that rubbish! Thanks to you, and all of your devious little friends, I've learned that a stereotype is just another word for a well-earned reputation."

She paused, then ultimately said, "I want to leave."

The finality of those words struck him right in the heart. It was as though she'd convicted him guilty and sentenced him to life in prison. The Senator averted his eyes and assumed an air of contempt.

"Very well then. Since you've made up your cynical little mind, I suppose there's no point in continuing this conversation. Forgive me if I don't escort you the rest of the way. I must see to my other guests, you know."

"Yes, please don't trouble yourself on my account," she replied.

"Goodnight, _Miss Miller_," sneered Vreenak. With that he turned on his heel and walked away.

Aura went to her room, where she shattered his picture against the wall, collapsed on the bed and sobbed bitterly. She really should have known better.

* * *

Vreenak put on a mask of indifference, returned to the party and played the role that was necessary. But inwardly he felt a stinging, merciless pain. It was though he was bleeding internally. No matter what he did, no matter what he said, it was never good enough. She didn't trust him. He was beginning to understand how General Radek must have felt about Tasha Yar. It seemed human women just couldn't be won the gallant way. It wasn't fair! After all that patience and chivalry, all the political risks he had endured, and those few romantic moments they had shared, she was letting the words of a stranger undo everything. It seemed the more they talked the more painful and infuriating the conversation became. Confounded, heartless woman!

He threw back a glass of ale. Red, he scoffed. How strange that she should have all the appearance of fire and yet be so cold emotionally. It was a twisted irony. She was far too rational when it came to matters of the heart. She was a human, and he was a fool to think that she could ever return his feelings with equal fervor.

He would forget her. He had more than enough work to keep himself busy, and she clearly never cared much for him anyway. Let her go home to her pathetic little circle of friends and live the life of a spinster. She didn't deserve his love.

* * *

_AN: I've been wanting to use that "Romulan sugar daddy" line since I started this story. :D I hope you all enjoyed that! Chapter 23 coming soon..._


	23. Setting The Record Straight

When Tertia was finally able to excuse herself from Letant's attentions, she went to see what the matter was.

"What's going on? Why did Koval leave?" she whispered.

Vreenak didn't answer, just scowled and closed his eyes.

"Where's Aura? You quarreled again, didn't you?"

He nodded.

"I warned you not to tease her so much. Terrans don't enjoy arguing as much as we do," she scolded.

"Humph. I'm not so sure about that," he sneered.

Tertia sighed. "Do you want me to speak to her?"

"No. Leave her be," he answered curtly. "It's over. She wants nothing more to do with us."

Tertia was initially shocked by that statement, but that feeling was quickly replaced by sympathy.

"Nevermind," said Vreenak, softening a little when he saw the expression on her face. "This was inevitable, and I've lived through worse." With that, he left to join a conversation with Praetor Neral.

He spoke depreciatively, but Tertia knew the truth of it. Unless he and Miss Miller could resolve their issues this was a wound that her brother would suffer from the rest of his life.

* * *

Kimara Cretak discreetly made her way from the front door of Vreenak's estate toward what she assumed was Miss Miller's house. She had overheard part of D'Loran's conversation and knew that trouble was brewing so she decided to hang around a bit longer to see what would come of it. Sure enough, Miss Miller had taken the lie to heart and retreated. Cretak watched Koval drag his sister away, then her fellow Senator dashed off to reassure his lady. Several minutes later she saw him barge back into the house alone with ill-concealed anger and frustration all over his face. Evidently things had not gone very well.

Cretak took it upon herself to set things right. She owed Vreenak a favor, since she had been one of the few he chose not to expose on that scandalous day in the Hall of State.

When the petite politician finally reached the structure she rang the doorbell and waited. Presently, a puzzled Miss Miller answered the door.

"Senator Cretak? I thought you had left." It was evident that she'd been weeping, but that was expected of a human under the circumstances.

"Forgive me for intruding, but I have some information that I think you'd want to hear. May I come in?"

"Oh yes, of course," Aura stepped back and invited her to sit down.

Once they were both seated in the living room, Cretak got straight to the point. "What Commander D'Loran told you isn't true."

Aura folded her lips. "You heard?"

Cretak nodded. "I was in the dining room replying to a personal message. There was no gambling, and Vreenak has not boasted about…seducing you. He's only publicly spoken of you once under questioning, and everything he said was proper and respectable."

"Then why would the commander say something like that?"

"I can't answer that since I don't know her very well. But I do know Vreenak, and I can assure you that he really does love you, Miss Miller."

Aura looked down. "What makes you so sure?"

Cretak smiled. "I've had to listen to his arguments for the past 14 years. Why else would someone so well known for loathing the Federation suddenly turn around and push for more cooperation with them?"

So he'd kept his part of the deal...

"Aside from that, he's taken great personal risks on your behalf. You must know that off-worlders are not usually welcome on Romulus. When you arrived here we were in a cold war with all the major powers, so when word got around to the Senate that Vreenak had a Terran female staying with him, my associates demanded answers, and his resignation as well. They were about to banish you both."

"Then what happened? Why didn't they?"

"Well, let's just say that being in the intelligence department has its advantages, and Vreenak made it clear that if he were forced out he wouldn't be the only one to resign in disgrace."

"Blackmail," Aura summarized. She took a moment to ponder over all this new information. If it were true then she'd been awfully unfair to him. Senator Vreenak nearly lost everything he cared about: his jobs, power and reputation, even his home world, for her. All that he asked in return was that she would love him and be his wife. And what did she do? She snapped at him, shut him out, and didn't even give him a chance to explain anything.

"Cretak, when you leave for Deep Space Nine, do you think it would be possible for me to go with you if I wanted to?"

"I'm sure that could be arranged, provided you don't wait too long. I'll be leaving the day after tomorrow. You don't expect to reconcile with Vreenak?"

Aura was visibly mortified. "I said some really hurtful things to him, and I didn't even give him the benefit of the doubt. He might not be willing to forgive me."

"I could see that he was angry, but he'd be a fool to let a lover's quarrel stand in the way of your lives together."

Aura knitted her eyebrows. "Do you mind if I ask you some questions about Romulan culture?"

"Of course not. It's my favorite subject, but I cannot stay long."

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to take up all your time, but it's just that you're so friendly and easy to talk to."

Cretak smiled again. "Why thank you. One or two questions, Miss Miller."

Aura started by asking her what Romulan courtship was usually like.

Cretak answered that it much less complicated than that of humans, and it was generally of much shorter duration. Only under extreme circumstances (such was when the parties were separated on missions) did it ever stretch past a month or two at most. Similar to the human expression of "love at first sight," Romulans frequently found themselves in "love at first impression." After the attention-getting incident, one of them would suggest beginning a relationship.

"That explains a lot," said Aura with a sad smile. "I'd only spoken to him once or twice before he started making proposals. What happens after that?"

The couple would spend a short time discussing their plans and ambitions, and if they meshed then they'd move on to displays of affection and touch telepathy. Finally, there were the exchange of vows and the wedding.

"I really must be going now," she said, and handed her the necessary contact information. "If you wish to leave Romulus with us, then you must contact me no later than noon tomorrow."

"Thank you so much, for everything," said Aura, shaking her hand sincerely.

Cretak nodded politely and left.


	24. Chapter 24

**Once again, my sincere thanks to all readers and reviewers, most especially the loyal LornaWinters, Tribal Graces, BewilderedFemale, and Ahlysha.**

**And as for the mysterious "Senator Koval," thank you! Your comment was not only quite entertaining, but it also filled up that little plot hole nicely.**

* * *

After Cretak left, Aura spent the rest of the night sorting everything out.

It didn't take long for her to come to the conclusion that she loved Vreenak. She loved him very deeply, she was certain of it now. That's what made the beginning of the evening seem so enchanting, what made his alleged betrayal hurt so much, and what made her current state of suspense so horribly nerve wracking. But did she love him enough to attempt to build a life on this unwelcoming world?

On the other hand, the "safe" life without him seemed terribly boring, miserable and lonely. Every other man she'd ever met seemed so dull and apathetic compared to Merken Vreenak. They couldn't hold a candle to his wit, and they didn't have those pointy ears and eyebrows she loved so much. Or those icy blue eyes… That impertinent Romulan rascal had grown on her. She'd come to adore the way he looked at her, and her day just didn't seem complete anymore unless she'd exchanged a few smart-alecky words with him.

About an hour before dawn she had almost decided. She'd much rather take the chance that they'd be happy together than spend her life wondering and watching the clock tick in solitude. She knew full well that if she accepted Vreenak both sides would have to make cultural adjustments and compromises and face a lifetime of contempt from Romulan society. There would also be considerable disapproval from her side of the family, but she was prepared for that. There was just one more thing that was bothering her: that recurring gilded cage suspicion. That was the one thing she could not put up with. She had one final test for him, and if he was selfless enough to let her go, then she'd stay.

As the first few shafts of light crept up over the horizon she fixed her hair and put on the Earth outfit she arrived in. Then she quickly tidied up the house and headed up the path.

She ran into him in the hallway. He was wearing the Senatorial robes and was apparently on his way out the door. He was accompanied by the usual two guards, who went ahead outside to bring the shuttlecraft. Vreenak took a moment to observe her appearance, understood what it implied, then averted his eyes before saying, "You still wish to leave."

She didn't answer, since it was more of a statement than a question, and that was the impression she was trying to give.

He continued, "I've spoken to Letant, and he's agreed to bring you as far as Deep Space Nine. The transport leaves tomorrow morning. You may take whatever you wish." He walked past her out the door.

That was all she needed to hear. "Could I speak to you for a moment?"

"What more is there to say?" he answered coldly.

"I know what really happened. Cretak told me."

"Yes, you're all too ready to believe _others_."

His resentful attitude cut her to the quick. "You're right. I should have given you the benefit of the doubt. I'm sorry…"

The shuttlecraft landed in front of them and the door opened.

"It doesn't really matter now, does it? But of course you had to get that off your conscience before leaving." He began to move toward the shuttle.

Aura steeled up her resolve and stepped in front of him. "I'm not leaving."

There was the faintest flicker in his eye, but then he resumed his indifferent manner and looked away again. "Don't be ridiculous, Miss Miller. I have work to do and you clearly don't belong here. Go back to your home." He attempted to go around her.

"I am home," she answered, then grasped the medallion around his neck and kissed him. "I love you and I want to stay here with you." She put her arms around his neck and kissed him again, but he just stood there like a statue. "What's wrong? You don't care for me anymore?" she asked, then her eyes welled up with tears. "You're giving up on me?"

He stared at her for a moment, then put his hands on her shoulders and gave her the gravest look ever. "Aura, I am not human, and I can't take this uncertainty anymore. If I forgive you, if you stay, you must be my wife. You must decide once and for all: will you marry me?"

"Yes, I will," she whispered.

"Say it again," he insisted, taking her face in his hands.

"Yes, I will marry you," she repeated, and when he kissed her the tears finally fell, but now they were tears of joy.

"Come." Vreenak waved the shuttle away, then swept her up and marched off down one of the paths into the garden to find a more beautiful setting for their nuptials.

We're engaged! Aura thought, feeling like she was floating on cloud nine. Now she could start planning her own wedding! She kissed her Romulan on the cheek and laid her head on his shoulder. "I love you," she sighed contentedly.

_"Jol-ao au khei,"_ he replied, and stepped up the pace a little. He wasn't going to waste another moment. He was going to marry her right now, before she had time to change her mind!

He set her down in the most beautiful part of the garden near a fountain surrounded by flowering trees and shrubs. It truly was a very romantic scene, with the sun rising in the background, the dew sparkling everywhere, and the ancient looking structures adding solemnity to the occasion. Taking one of her hands, Vreenak clenched a fist over his heart, then began to recite something very solemnly in the Romulan language. She understood enough to know that it was a series of promises, and occasionally he would switch back to Federation Standard to prompt her to make some promise of her own.

How sweet! An engagement ritual, she thought. Cretak hadn't mentioned anything like that. Promise after promise she made without a second thought, her angelic face glowing the whole time. She was so emotional that she alternately giggled and cried between sentences, in sharp contrast to his profound gravity. When the ritual was over he gave her a kiss that was so dizzying that she was forced to rely on him for support, then he picked her up again and went down another path.

Engaged to a Romulan, she thought. Her family was going to flip when they heard about this! But they'd get over it. They'd have to. Besides, her new fiancé could talk circles around any objections they might have. That was one of the benefits of marrying a seasoned politician, she thought with a smile.

When they were about halfway there, she realized that he was carrying her toward her house. Then she became aware of an unnerving gleam in his eye, and he chuckled to himself in a most unsettling manner.

"Um, Merken?"

"Yes, my love?"

"What are you thinking about?"

"Don't pretend like you don't know," he answered, then flashed her a smile that left no doubt in her mind.

"Oh no we're not!"

"Oh yes we are."

"But we have to get married first!" she protested.

He stopped. "But…we just did," he said, halfway confused.

Aura's jaw dropped. "That was it?!" she exclaimed, pointing toward the area they just came from. "I thought that was an engagement ritual or something!"

"No. We've exchanged vows. According to Romulan law, we are married," he stated firmly.

"There's no public ceremony? And no paperwork?"

"Yes, yes. But all that comes later," he replied dismissively, as though those things weren't very important, and started walking again.

"So you're telling me that we're already married, and what you call a wedding is really just a reception?"

"Precisely." Evidently they did things backwards on Earth. But then again, considering how weak-willed humans usually were, he supposed it made more sense for them to put things in writing first.

"But I always wanted to have a dreamy, elegant wedding, with all of our friends and relatives," she sighed.

"Yes, of course. We'll talk about that later." They just reached the door.

Aura felt her temper flaring up again. This was important to her, but it seemed her new husband only had one thing on his mind! "I want to talk about it now," she said in a warning tone.

Vreenak shook his head. "In all candor, you're going about this the wrong way, my dear," he said with a smile. "There's a much easier way to persuade me-"

"You're not going to gyp me out of my wedding!" she snapped. "You already gypped me out of my friend's wedding-"

"What? I thought she postponed it!" he blurted out, then he realized that he just let the cat out of the bag.

"How did you know that?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. "You've been eavesdropping on me, haven't you?" Then another thought occurred to her and she gasped. "Have you been watching me, too? Please tell me I didn't just marry a peeping Tom!"

Vreenak looked offended. "How dare you accuse me of such a shameful thing! I am a nobleman, not an ogling lecher! Have I ever treated you as anything less than a lady?"

"Well…no," she admitted.

He sighed. "After you asked me about attending your friend's wedding I spoke to her and we made an agreement."

"So… you didn't listen in then?" she asked with a hopeful look.

"Well…" He hesitated and his face went green. It was better to get it all out now. "Alright. I admit I did tap in a few times, but it was only so I could gain insight and minimize the inconveniences."

"Oh, is that what you call it?" She crossed her arms. "Just for that, you're not getting anything from me until we get married the human way."

All the color drained out of his face. "Am I to understand that you're refusing me? _On our wedding day?"_ he choked out.

Well, when he put it_ that _way it sounded really pitiful. And at least he owned up to what he'd done. She decided to cut him a little slack. Afterall, she was far from perfect herself. "You promise you won't do it again?" she asked in a softer tone.

His face brightened. "Fair enough. I promise."

"Any more secrets floating around in that Romulan head of yours? If so you'd better put them all on the table now."

"No, no more secrets." There were state secrets, of course, but he was fairly sure that wasn't what she meant.

She smiled at him. "Then hurry up and cross over the threshold before I change my mind."

When on Romulus, do as the Romulans do.

* * *

AN: So there it is! My first wedding chapter. I hope it lived up to your expectations. What do you think, readers? Is this a good place to end things? If so then the next chapter will be an epilogue.


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